I just remember mention in stuff by people like Kerouac, Tom Waits & maybe
even Jack London

-----Original Message-----

I seem to recall my father used Sterno cans while out on maneuvers in  
France and Germany during World War 2. You could heat one of those things in
a  
fox hole and boil a cup of coffee in your canteen cup without drawing enemy

fire. It also helped against the cold in what became known as the Battle of 
the  Bulge, where he received a wound.