In late 1944, Major Hunter Reinburg led the Corsairs of 122 Squadron, US Marine Corps, onto the sweltering, jungle-covered South Pacific island of Peleliu, scene of the Marines' most bitter battle of WW2. The Japanese were deeply dug into the hills less than 1km from the airfield, so pilots did not bother to retract their gear before delivering their ordnance and continuing with a circuit to land again and reload.
The Marines took almost 10,000 casualties. So bitter was the fighting that a Japanese lieutenant with 26 soldiers and eight sailors held out in the caves until 1947, surrendering only after a Japanese admiral convinced them the war was over.
When the island was finally conquered Major Reinburg decided that the surviving troops sweltering in 40 deg temperatures deserved some home comforts. The Marine engineers produced two large tanks filled with reconstituted milk and mounted to the Corsair wing hard points, with a stirring shaft powered by a wind-driven propeller. A practice battle climb to 25,000 feet and -30 deg C would supply 100 servicemen with a helping of ice cream every day ... surely the world's most expensive ice-cream cart?