10 Everyday Objects Once Used in Surprising Military Operations

Everyday objects like pigeons, playing cards, and tampons have secretly shaped the battlefield, proving that in war, even the ordinary can become extraordinary tools of survival and deception.

Alyana Aguja
May 6, 2025
3 min read

10 Everyday Objects Once Used in Surprising Military Operations — Holly Mindrup from Unsplash

War has provoked genius, usually reducing the most ordinary objects — such as lipstick, Silly Putty, and Coca-Cola bottles — to the uses of espionage, survival, and sabotage. From pigeon postmen to playing cards concealing escape maps, such mundane items performed unsuspected but vital functions in some of the greatest military stunts in history. This collection shows how creativity and need converted household items into instruments of warcraft.

1. Pigeons (Messenger Birds)

Image from All About Birds

Pigeons played a crucial role during World Wars when messages had to be carried over enemy lines when radios didn’t work or were too hazardous. A pigeon named Cher Ami is particularly well-known for having saved almost 200 U.S. soldiers by carrying a lifesaving message despite having been shot and injured. The birds carried miniature capsules on their legs — low-tech but lifesaving.

2. Playing Cards (Escape Tools)

Image from Wikipedia

In WWII, American and British intelligence worked in conjunction with the Bicycle Playing Card Company to manufacture decks that concealed maps for escape. When wet, the cards had peeling layers that contained concealed information for POWs. These cards were secretly introduced into or around German camps disguised as Red Cross care packages.

3. Condoms (Waterproof Equipment and Weapon Maintenance)

Image from NHS inform

Soldiers employed condoms not only for protection, but also to prevent rifle barrels from getting wet and to guard sensitive gear against dampness. British WWII SAS troops even utilized them to preserve detonators from getting wet while conducting sabotage operations. Their flexibility and water resistance made them deceptively versatile.

4. Silly Putty (Surveillance Aid)

Image from Popular Mechanics

Silly Putty’s stickiness proved handy for lifting impressions of keys and other items in the Cold War era. Spies could apply it to a key for a brief moment to create a mold and have duplicates created later. Though a toy for children, it served surreptitiously as a tool for espionage.

5. Lipstick (Hidden Firearms)

Image from MAC Cosmetics Philippines

In WWII, the British Special Operations Executive produced a “lipstick gun” — a small single-shot pistol disguised as a tube of lipstick. It was intended for female agents working undercover in Nazi-occupied countries. Known as the “kiss of death,” it was an example of spycraft’s dependence on deception.

6. Soap (Explosives Disguise)

Image from The Conversation

Explosives were occasionally shaped to resemble soap bars so they could be smuggled through inspection in clandestine operations. These were employed in sabotage operations, especially by European resistance fighters. A single squeeze would transform an innocent-looking hygiene product into a lethal weapon.

7. Coca-Cola Bottles (Camouflage and Parts Transport)

Image from Galleon.PH

During WWII, the U.S. military collaborated with Coca-Cola to provide troops with soda, but the operations also provided a cover for carrying machine components and communication equipment. Coca-Cola constructed bottling facilities near front lines, improving morale and enabling clandestine shipments. Certain components were even concealed in crates.

8. Flour (Tracking and Detection)

Image from Wikipedia

Flour was employed by Allied troops in WWII to label trails at night or identify intruders. Spread on roads or near doorways, it would indicate footprints or activity. It was also employed to mimic smoke for training exercises without real risk.

9. Toy Trains (Bomb Testing Models)

Image from Wikipedia

As the Allies prepared for D-Day, planners employed toy model trains and miniature cities to model German railroad yards and hone bombing skills. The small models allowed pilots to see their targets. A child’s toy was incorporated into a deadly rehearsal exercise.

10. Tampons (Bullet Wound Plugs)

Image from Wikipedia

Field medics in Vietnam and later conflicts occasionally used tampons to plug gunshot wounds in emergencies. Their absorbent and expandable nature made them ideal for temporarily stemming blood loss. Some soldiers even carried them in their kits for this purpose.