C Rations Military - Well, we landed and the company gathered. C Rations have been issued, there is something to eat. C Rations is a box approximately 5 by 10 inches containing food for one person for three meals. Wow brings back a lot of memories.
I lived on muffins and chicken noodle soup made with a little C4. Sorry 11B, I always took my favorite first. I was the chief of staff of the Hueys that brought you supplies. I have a lot of respect for the grunts, they did it with ingenuity and common sense.
C Rations Military
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Welcome back. When World War II began and the fully industrialized nature of the conflict was realized, the US Army began packing portable field rations in a way that modern soldiers would recognize. Until World War II, rations were issued daily and had no changes.
You Want Breakfast?
As soon as prepackaged meals of various varieties appeared, a barter economy quickly arose. It is the story of what field rations were hoarded and sought after, and what of them went to waste or were only begrudgingly eaten by hungry troops.
There was always enough for seconds, but most of us passed because our shriveled stomachs were already full from one serving of this exquisite dish. The Army also sends each platoon a goodie bag containing writing paper, envelopes, blue ink pens, foot powder, toothbrushes and toothpaste, chewing gum, m&m's, Hershey bars, Almond Joy, Mounds, Three Musketeers, Snickers and more
. packs of cigarettes – providing us with many simple items that helped make life a little easier. One SP was meant to meet the needs of 100 men for one day, but we typically saw one SP per platoon (30 men) every two to three weeks.
The Red Cross also circulated letters from school children, church groups and others for us to read and respond in kind. Such a day was a real holiday, but unfortunately it happened only once or twice a month.
Great article, I was USMC 1966/67 in Vietnam. As I recall our C rats were marked 1941 & 42. I think I was one of the few who really liked ham and Lima. So many times I've gotten something other than ham and lima, so I made a deal in the department.
During World War II, the military developed K-rations to be a lighter, more portable version of C-rations in metal cans. They were designed for use by highly mobile troops who could not afford to be encumbered.
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K-rations came in lightweight cardboard boxes and had only three meal options. It was breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hey… me too… the other good ones were Beans and Balls… Beans and Dick… Beef and Potatoes… I couldn't eat eggs… you couldn't cook the spaghetti in a jar, it just rose like a drop, cold top and burnt bottom…
I have peaches, and who has pound cake… “Meal, Combat, Individual, designed to be issued according to the tactical situation, either in single units as a meal, or in multiples of three as a full ration.
Its characteristics emphasize utility, flexibility of use, and a greater variety of food components than was included in the Ration, Combat, Individual (C Ration) it replaces. Twelve different menus are included in the specification. C-Rations are commercially prepared meals that are used in the field and when hot food is not available.
These dishes were delivered in a box containing 12 dishes. Each dish came in its own cardboard box, which contained individual products sealed in jars. A can opener (both John Wayne and P-38) was required to open cans.
I remembered those days that I will never forget. Sometimes I would eat pineapples, bananas or coconuts if I could get hold of them. I will always remember that time in 1967-68 L/Cpl P.T. Smith Bravo Co.
2nd Plt 1st Bn 1st Mar Rgt 1st Mar Div I was with the 1st Air Cavalry (67-68) when we moved the whole division from An Khe to what later became Camp Evans (we called it Tombstone because we camped on
Vietnamese cemetery). The first brigade of the 101st Airborne at that time was under the operational control of Cav. At that time, we were the first army division in the first corps. I remember that there were no hot dishes, and you learned by practice what each unit contained in the box.
We were drip-fed and you ran to the pallet to get the best ration unit. It was the beginning of the Tet offensive, and hot food was scarce. Nutritious, but not very exciting. The company has an immersion heater.
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This is a gas heater that is thrown into the waste water tank. When the water boils, the soldiers tie their cans of food with wires and lower them into the boiling water to heat the food.
It's best to hold on to your wire, less someone else is saving your food. 1st round, grunts, scouting, etc. Only once was the fool enough to eat the ENTIRE ration of LRRP in one go, after the water recedes it swells up a lot!
2nd round, NO problems, LOCHA pilot and home every night if I don't get shot down! ;~) Scotty Hill CW4 (Ret) Ret. Gun Pilot Division base camps and some of the larger fire bases had staffed canteens where three hot meals were served daily.
Line units were occasionally taken off the field, usually once a month for three days, to enjoy "home cooking", barbeques and ice-cold beer and soda - a reward we always looked forward to. While serving in the Central Highlands in the 1/12th Inf.
We received rations of beer and soda, which were often brought in the jungle. Several soldiers did not like to drink beer. I would keep my fruit and cake from the pond and trade their beer rations.
I drank beer almost every day. After you got used to it, it started to taste warm. "It's even a little wet," he said, wiping his mouth. He allowed anyone "with guts" to join him, and retired Lt. Gen. Paul T. Mikolaszek, who was the commander of U.S. Army Europe while Moak was serving overseas, got an even bigger piece.
I get the impression this writer might be British as he calls the crackers rusks, anyway I hated the ham with eggs and rats and like you said I loved the chilli mac MRE's It was just that
that i need Thank you very much. My dad died in Vietnam in 1965. I was 13 years old. I'm writing a book that is fiction based in part on my real life experiences between the ages of 10-14.
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I just put a pound cake in one of my scenes. I am also interested in mail during this period. My story is written in the form of a letter with letters to the father of the characters, Walter Cronkite, and some other people.
Our company left San Diego with the Navy Band marching us Marines in remembrance. Returned 13 months later on Tiger Airlines to Los Angeles Civil Airport and was greeted by many people throwing the bird at us.
Three of us hailed a cab and the older man stopped and bought us a six-pack. Glad to be back in Goliad, TX - many of my friends are not so lucky. Semper fi !! Tellander, Sgt USMC I especially like the little splotches of OD paint mixed into the food after opening the can with your P-38.
Years later I wonder if the paint was lead based? That would explain a lot of the stupid decisions I've made over the years One time a venture capitalist had no heart A fruit shake was about to fall and a 60mm blew up my can of my hand not worried about a cut hand but crazy to this day about a fruit shake.
Soldiers are taught to be thieves. I'm pretty good at stealing C4 to cook with, and those LRRP rations. They were pretty good. Carrying a container of onion salt and garlic salt for rations C. Thank you for taking the time to write this article.
I was just a kid during the Vietnam War, and I'm not a veteran. But I read as much as I could about what it was like to serve in those days. I appreciate the education you help provide and keep it real for someone like me who has never had this experience.
You and all veterans have my utmost respect and admiration. I thank each of you for all you have done and for all the countless sacrifices you have made. Best regards. A wonderful walk down memory lane.
Here was the old wolfdog…A/1/27…….66,67,68……..no one mentioned the hobo stove that when the tabs or C-4 went off we would open a can of peanut butter. Then mix a bunch of mosquito repellent into about half the can... the rest of the peanuts are best used on very thick (hard) crackers!!
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Once lit it would put out a decent flame……..my favorite was the spiced beef….but had to be served hot….cold it sucked. Our team leader was fair…turned all the “threes” upside down and shuffled…..then we chose…..No fear!!
Larry, as a young WO1 pilot who had just reported to Nam, making and using a 'main crew stove' was one of the first things my crew chief taught me to do. I thank you and all crew commanders and gunners from the bottom of my heart.
You were the unsung heroes of Army Aviation. After the official retirement ceremony, dozens of friends and relatives joined Mauk in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes as he opened the can to cheers. Moak joked earlier this week that he hopes the can doesn't explode.
It made a hissing sound as the seal broke. Although there is some debate among soldiers about the best C ration, there is no dispute as to which was the worst. Most soldiers, unless they were on the brink of starvation, couldn't eat ham and lima beans.
The ham and lima bean base was so hated by everyone that it quickly earned the nickname "Ham and Bucks." The dish was described as extremely salty, and despite repeated complaints from troops about the food, the military kept it on the menu until C rations were replaced with MREs.
Agree, a piece of cake, mix chocolate sugar, cream, make a glaze. After that, everyone loves cake. Nameless brought one home, should have seen what I looked like. Those were the times that made it good.
Sitting in a bunker with an m60 during the monsoons, I try to forget. I miss the boys, I hope all is well. Thousands of years from now, all the paper and cardboard that once contained the Big Mac will be gone, and archaeologists will find some Cs and maybe suggest that people used to live on bad ham, eggs, and French beans.
If the diggers look closely, they might find a P-38. Popular dishes and tins of pound cakes, peaches and fruit shakes were prized and worth their weight in gold – many soldiers hoarded them to exchange for goods during evening breaks;
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only one of each is included in each meal. As far as I remember, only about 30% of the soldiers in my platoon did not smoke. Each C-Ration meal contained four packs of cigarettes; Ten different brands were initially offered, but like the dishes, some were more popular than others.
If one likes Lucky Strikes, Parliament, Chesterfields or Pall Mall’s, they will never run out. Popular brands like Winston, Marlboro, Kools and Salem were always in short supply and benefited non-smokers who used them to trade.
Moat says that while he warned his children for years not to touch his pound cake, he did allow them to eat some other foods when they were growing up in the 1980s, including canned spaghetti and crackers.
Otherwise, you smear the jar of food with coagulated fat or enter it in frosty weather, try to thaw it in your mouth, that is, after you cut it out of the jar with a bayonet.
Most of these rations were left over from the Second World War. We called the food "eat beans". Many Korean civilians were starving and scoured discarded cans for leftover food. We often gave away boxes to some deserving children.
I was also in Berlin during the Cold War. We drove through East Germany on the Autobahn to Holiefield’s in Weat Germany for a training mission. We had C-Rats along the way, I liked the ham and lima beans, they were easy to swap out since a lot of guys like you didn't like them.
Brothers would always trade for menthol. During this maneuver, I celebrated my birthday by tasting grape jelly with my pound cake. Coffee, tea and hot chocolate were plentiful and everyone had a supply. The dilemma here is that it requires nearly three pounds of water per quart;
extra weight is a consideration. We have already taken 4-5 quarts of canteens to maintain water until the next restocking. During the monsoon season or in areas with rivers and streams, this is a moot point as there is plenty of water!
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