To understand the reason behind Spam's popularity and what that has to do with the U.S. military, we have to step back and start with where Spam itself started.
Hormel executives decided to hold a naming contest with a reward of $100. Ken Digneau stepped up to plate and named it Spam, a portmanteau for “spiced ham”.
Spam’s ability to survive without refrigeration catapulted Spam into the diets of American troops who were being sent to Asia Pacific during World War 2.
It didn’t take long for Spam to start making its way out of U.S. bases in countries like the Philippines where it was sold at post exchange retail stores located on bases.