What is the photo trying to show? The arrows point to an open sponson box and from what I see, to a 90mm rammer extractor tool, not a Jerry can. The tank is an M-26A1 or a late issue Marine Pershing with an M-26A1/46 mantlet cover. Jerry cans were also often carried on the rear turret cal 50 stowage pintle or on the spare cal 50 barrels...really, anywhere you could put them, out of the way of interfering with hatches or turret movement. Roping to lifting eyes on the rear and even on the pioneer rack in front on some M-46s.

There is a specific loading plan for every tank and certain tools or items of issue were placed IAW the load plan SOP. This, in case of loss or damage to an item, anyone could run up to an inoperative tank and go to exactly where that item is stowed and remove it quickly. In the case of that photo......have no idea what the rammer extractor tool is doing there...it's supposed to be on the loader's side in the turret. What is carried outside of the stowage boxes or in specifically designed brackets, is up to the crew.

Panther F; Re; My statement;, "no sense carrying empties", in most cases, a crew did not refill the cans, but swapped them off for full ones at any number of supply stations. This was primarily the bow gunner's job. Even if a can was half full/empty, a fresh one was picked up at the next supply point. That's potable and wash water as well as OE-30 oil, so empty cans were not normally carried for any length of time, normally within a few hours.