Need help ID 30x3.00 smooth Model T tire marked "military"

[signsup]

Newbie to this forum, so I'll post a photo or two if I have to later.  I have a Model T project that the two front tires are smooth, no tread, 30x3.00 tires.  On the outer sidewall it is U.S. Tire and U.S. Rubber with a federal looking seal on it.  On the inner sidewall it does not have the U.S. Tire andU.S. Rubber embossing, but is a raised area stamped with the word "military".  What little I know about the US tire industry during WWII is that they would not have made this tire for a 26 year old car, or if they did, would not mark it "military".

Another forum has suggested that it must fit some srt of military trailer, hand cart or possibly even an aircraft, but I cannot find anything about this tire.  It is a tube type clincher tire.

 

Any thoughts about the "military" stamping on this tire?

 

I'll hang up and listen. 

[keiser31]

Maybe WW1. What year is the Model T? 1915 would be WW1.

Edited August 11, 2017 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[signsup]

The time frame of the car is WWI.  And that is what a family member is remembering, but I cannot find any civilian reference to any war time shortages of rubber during WWI so I don't know why the tire would be stamped "military"  I do not find any military specifications for tires to indicate that military tires were of a thicker ply, different treads, etc.  The use of any vehicle in WWI is rare.  The Model T ambulance is the most widely used vehicle, but Ford made the car, not the tires.  Can't imagine they would take the time and effort to put a different tire on the 2,500 chassis that were used as ambulances vs. the 16 million they made for civilian use.

 

Too bad no serial or DOT numbers to give an idea of the manufacturer date.

[Rusty_OToole]

Could be a tire made for the army in WW1. Could have been made in the twenties as a replacement for existing military equipment. If this was the case it would be very hard, dried out and mummified. They would have had to be stored indoors in a dark place to last this long. What kind of project? What is the history of the vehicle?

[Layden B]

Years ago I ran 30x 3 1/2 clincher tires on my Model T Ford that were branded ( hot brand melted into the sidewall) KSTL. That was done by Key System Trail Lines ( San Francisco East Bay area) to deter theft of their property. I got them off a surplus welding cart they sold.