# WWII Duck Tape? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2002, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-duck-tape/122038 "2002-08-02T16:56:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-duck-tape/122038/1 "2002-08-02T16:56:51Z")
There was a filler item in my local paper today that red lined my BS meter. Here it is in its entirety. > [@](#): > > It all happened during World War II when the American armed forces needed a strong, waterproof tape to keep the inside of ammunition cases dry. Since it was waterproof it was referred to as “duck” tape. The tape was strong and could be ripped by hand so it was used to make quick repairs to military equipment. > > After World War II, housing in the United States featured forced-air heating and air-conditioning units that relied on duct work to distribute air. The military tape made the perfect material for binding these ducts. The tapes color was changed from army green to sheet metal gray, hence “duct” tape was born. The way the story was written and the similarity of this to other BS stories of “where things came from” adds nothing to its credibility. (Can you say “Whole Nine Yards?”) I always understood that duct tape was designed specifically for sealing around air ducts. The “Duck” name, besides being a backwardly formed brand name, was just a misshearing of the word duct by those who didn’t get the reference. The stuff isn’t even waterproof despite waht the article says. So is there any one out there who can add any actual information to clear this up? I wouldn’t trust the “stories” I would find on the internet for a subject like this. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-duck-tape/122038/2 "2002-08-02T17:10:51Z")
Well these two sites agree with your story completely. In fact, the language on both sites is so close that someone seems to be plagiarizing from someone. However, I completely trust the second link when it comes to all things Duct Tape (I’ve gotten their books as joke gifts in the past…these guys are serious Duct Tape afficionados). [The Great Idea Finder](http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/ducttape.htm) [Jim and Tim, The Duct Tape Guys](http://www.octanecreative.com/ducttape/dthistory.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-duck-tape/122038/3 "2002-08-02T19:10:42Z")
I don’t have the cite handy, but I read that it was developed during WWII as a medical adhesive tape, and was originally white. There was a particular name for it, which I don’t recall. After the war, as aluminum ductwork became popular for central heating systems, it was made in the silver color and called duct tape. I find this infinitely more believable than this “duck tape” story. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wwii-duck-tape/122038/4 "2002-08-02T19:48:45Z")
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=106377&highlight=duck+duct+tape](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=106377&highlight=duck+duct+tape) was where they tried to answer this back in March. Nothing more definitive, if I read it correctly. I wonder why my MW Collegiate Dic says the name “duct tape” is from 1970. Doesn’t sound like many people were calliing it “duct tape” right after the war while sealing up a/c or heating ducts. Needs more research.