Well we missed tootsie roll day this year, but every veteran can appreciate seeing them in their MRE (Meal Ready To Eat).
During the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in 1950, U.S. Marines called for more "Tootsie Rolls" which was the code for 60mm mortar ammo. A radio operator was unfamiliar with the code, so the Marines instead received a large airdrop of the chewy candy. However, the Marines welcomed the treats because they needed a bit of an energy boost. They also found that Tootsie Rolls were useful for plugging bullet holes in their equipment.
Sold in Hirschfield’s candy store in Brooklyn, New York, the Tootsie Roll candies were originally hand wrapped and launched on February 23, 1896. The candies sold for one penny each, and the technique for making them was eventually patented in 1907. Though the company went through some difficult times in the first decades, eventually the business turned into Tootsie Roll Industries and became one of the largest manufacturers of candy on the planet.
During World War II, because of their long shelf life and practicality for packing, Tootsie Rolls were included in the ration boxes for every US soldier. The army considered them to be a form of quick energy and wouldn’t melt in the ration box like other chocolate candies would.