The next thing I got was the MREs. 4.) And how did those taste? Smilesnada but smiles. We were at the end of the supply line so we ate a lot of C-rations. Division base camps and some larger firebases had staffed mess halls, serving three hot meals every day. Due to health concerns, cigarettes were eliminated from the MCI accessory packs in 1975. USA & International; Australia; Canada; France; Germany; Italy; Four can openers are provided in each case of 12 meals. My last CO also liked them. The 1st Inf Div was not allowed beer in the field due to some previous incident. Sincere thanks to all of our military veterans who have bravely served our great country in times of war and ate their share of those C rations. We would either just add sugar pack and eat. I do! We never had cold meals. $100 VE-546 Choice Vietnam Jungle Boots, size 12. Since your audience is mostly nam vets, Id guess ALL OF THEM remember c-rats. I can only remember seeing cases of C-Rations stacked inside APCs along with several five-gallon containers of water when we came upon them in the jungle. Never ate either one of these meals while in country. Wow brings back a lot of memories. Bill McD 4.5 out of 5 stars (128) Hated Ham and Lima beans. Spent almost 2 yrs in Northern I corps. When we were operating our radio nets in the outback wilds of Fort Riley, KS, wed put our Original Vietnam era US Military C Ration white plastic Spoon.From C Ration 382314172092. We burned and buried the last ones in the system in1986 in the Sinai desert. In 1966 during the Vietnam war Brig. [1] Although officially a new ration, the MCI was derived from and very similar to the original C-Ration, and in fact continued to be called "C-Rations" by American troops throughout its production life as a combat ration (1958-1980). My two favorites were green eggs and ham and yes, ham and lima beans. Serving in the Marine corps the beef stew in cans, cold,! And in spite of all their faults, I do sometimes miss C-Rats, especially the Pound Cake! I just put the pound cake into one of my scenes. All individual empty cans and trash were buried prior to leaving the table unless he had another use for one of the cans. Some of the guys cannot stand to watch me eat one. However, none of us wanted to carry that much extra weight on our backs, instead, most settling for a single complete meal per day and extra cans of crackers, cakes and fruit to supplement their diet until the next resupply all stuffed into a sock and tied to the back of a rucksack. Coffee, tea and hot chocolate were plentiful and everyone had a stash. This stove was satisfactory, but did not allow enough oxygen to enter which caused incomplete burning of the blue Trioxin heat tablet, causing fumes which irritated the eyes and respiratory tract. The MCI was intended as a modest improvement over the earlier canned Type C or C ration, with inclusion . Beans an winnies the best.ham and eggs always green no way I would eat it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pound cake was one f the favorites in my platoon. I was a high-speed radio operator (MOS 062) during the peacetime years 1955-58, after Korea and before Vietnam. I was raised on Spam in South Dakota and Minnesota since Spam is manufactured in Minn. To this day I enjoy Spam sandwiches!! I got a flashback Ill never forget those days Sometimes I would eat the pineapples, bananas or coconuts if I could get them. Though it had been given a new name, the MCI was in essence still the canned C ration of prior years. The accessory pack with each meal was sealed in a foil pouch. The components of the MCI were the M - "Meat Unit", the B - "Bread Unit", and D - "Dessert Unit". DD345 - Liberty Pass. guy came by and collected all our heating tabs said they caused cancer. I WONDER IF HE DIED FROM AGENT ORANGE. When I was in there were four: apricots, pears, fruit cocktail and peaches. Ive also created a poll to help identify my website audience before leaving, can you please click HERE and choose the one item best describing you. Elements of a United States Military Meal, Combat, Individual ration, as served in Da Nang, South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, 1966 or 1967. Greg Dearborn says: C-ration cans inside our huge transmitter, and after a couple hours sending messages back and forth we could remove those cans and enjoy a delicious hot meal e.g., my favorite, Ragout of Beef. You can live a long time on just water, so I do not recall being hungry. Due to health concerns, cigarettes were eliminated from the accessory packs in 1975. Larry, as a young WO1 pilot just reporting to Nam, making and using the crew chief stove was one of the first thing my crew chief taught me to do. I think I was one of a few who actually liked ham and Limas. Cs provided a good snack during night-time flight line work. The cigarettes were even contaminated with bugs ! I explored the possibility of having the hardware removed and obtaining a medical waiver, but the consultation I received from docs and my own inner wisdom left me deciding on the path I am currently on. The C-4 was safe to use as long as it wasnt compressed or using too much at one time. Cigarettes were bad for your health along with bullets. Grab a small loaf of bahn-mi or baguette from the village baker with a can of boned chicken gently heated on the V-100 manifoldThat and a ba-moui-ba brewnot bad. Every C-Ration meal contained a single four-pack of cigarettes; ten different brands were primarily offered, but like the meals, some were more popular than others. It would swell up and we wood take it away from the exhaust port until it went back to its original size. a b -1-a unit was the topstobasco was the best.didnt have much time to cook in the 4th inf .but there were times ! I really enjoyed Meat balls & beans. It was a common thing to trade C rations for cigarettes. Great site thanks for the memories. Do you remember your special recipes? A whole heat tab had to be used. all were palatable, but the peaches were outstanding. I mixed the cocoa powder, coffee powder and creamer in hot water for a tolerable beverage. I ate C rats in Korea in 1960-61, and in Vietnam 65-66. Brand New. In 1968-69 I ate c-rations that were older than I was. Pork Slices Ingredients: (Obviously some supply sergeant made himself a bunch of money.) Never saw anyone eat pound cake without spitting it out. Less known is that an unlikely snack . I found this very interesting Your email address will not be published. I REMBER C-RATS I LIKED POUND CAKE AND RANGER PUDDINGDENNIS 4TH INF DIV 69-70, So cool, i love your post, I am from Vietnam. Barges were loaded with ammo and stores, I especially like the little flecks of OD paint mixed all through the food from opening the can with your P-38. When we shut down to eat we would use our really long pliers to hold the meal as the ship was running down. USMC. i was in from 1966 to 1972. i never ate a c ration that was younger than me. Thanks for your interesting accounts, and for your service. The only thing I miss was the instant coffee with the creamer and sugar. Its even a little moist, he said, wiping his mouth. Reproduction WW2 German MP40 Transit Case $350.00 WW2 K Ration Heavy Duty Cardboard Packing Box (10 in 1, K Ration, Heffenreffer Beer.) of my hand did not care about cut hand But mad till this day Its chief use was to hold several ounces of insect repellant, which we then set afire and used in place of a heat tab, which were in short supply. Given the risks we do everything possible to ensure that overly aged rations are not consumed, said Lawrence Levine, a spokesman for the Defense Supply Center in Philadelphia. We had the dubious honor of being the first Army ground unit deployed to VN in early May of 1965 from Okinawa and all enjoyed consuming our fair share of those gourmet C rations. Thank you for the information on the sauces. Ahh, comfort food in the middle of the jungle. But it was usually raining. Read about all of these, noticed that none of you brothers mentioned using the tin of peanut butter as a stove. The dream of being a SEAL, US Marine, PJ, Delta, Recon, and the like is still very much alive within me to this day. crispy critters burn victims CS Loved the lerps when we could get them. Need Easy, Nutritious Food While Blacktail Deer Hunting. Staf Sargent Larry Bailey. Now I know why I lost 40 LBs. I was in Vietnam with the Marines from 68-69. Contents:12 ounces of bacon or one pound of meat (usually canned Corned Beef), two 8-ounce cans of hard bread or hardtack biscuits, a packet of 1.16 ounces of pre-ground coffee, a packet of 2.4 ounces of granulated sugar, and a packet of 0.16 ounces of salt. would love to find a rec for them now 10 days later gulfort, mississippi.. jus lemme have a p38.. If you lucked into the peach can, you could trade it for almost anything. 1 for 5 5 for 20 20 for 40 Keep an . Well, my friends, let me refresh your memory and tell you everything you need to know but have forgotten about those wonderful meals. I would save my fruit and pond cake and trad for their rations of beer. Agree pound cake slice it mix choc sugar creamer make icing. I was a crechief on Hueys who resupplied you guys. I was an infantry radio operator with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, located in the Hiep Duc. As I recall, only about 30% of the soldiers in my platoon did not smoke. Semper Fi. My favorite C-ration dish was created as follows: 1.) Marines were not great cooks, but they were inventive. Among the necessities or near-necessities were P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations, and two or three canteens of water. We always had plenty of rice. Havent heard that in eons. Looked for the fruit cans mostly, but some of the other items were tasty too. One SP was intended to meet the requirements of 100 men for one day, but we usually saw one SP per platoon (30 men) every two to three weeks. My favorite meal was SPICED BEEF and GRAVY with crackers and cheese. It`s the meal that had the pound cake. Well not like from our great restaurants. Forty years later, Henry A. Moak, Jr., still loves his pound cake. Did you see how expensive they are on Ebay? So many times I got something other that ham & Lima so I made out in the bargain department. Sir, thank you for your service in Vietnam and for the insightful information you provided in this article. He dared anybody gutsy enough to join him, and retired Lt. Gen. Paul T. Mikolashek, who was theU.S. ArmyEurope commander when Moak served overseas, took an even bigger piece. I lived on peaches & pound cake for breakfast with hot chocolate. Moat says though he warned his children over the years not to touch his pound cake, he did let them eat some other rations when they were growing up in the 1980s, including canned spaghetti and crackers. "The bread was awful. Hey me too other good ones were Beans and Balls Beans and Dicks Beef and Potato couldnt eat the egg thing spaghetti could not be cooked in the can, it would just rise up as a blob, cold top and burned bottom Ive got peaches, whos got the pound cake, I saved my ham & lima beans until we returned to the rear, then put the on the stove, boiling hot with a little hot sauce made me happy, Wow, how did we survive. The dilemma here is that water is required for these and at almost three pounds per quart; the extra weight is a consideration. This is the officialQuartermastersdescription of C-Rations used in Vietnam: The Meal, Combat, Individual, is designed for issue as the tactical situation dictates, either in individual units as a meal or in multiples of three as a complete ration. With me it seemed the meals that were my least favorite when I first arrived in country were my favorite ones towards the end of my tour. Brought back lots of memories. So the food on a paper I remember the first c-ration meal we received. Thank you so much. On the rare occasion when we got a fresh bag lunch sandwich some kinda fruit and a couple boiled eggs it was egg salad time what a treet. , Just looking at a can of Ham and MFers makes me wanna puke. It was often supplied by water trailer or inflatable bladders from helicopters (called water buffaloes) because they were black rubber, and placed on a Gerry built wooden stand surrounded by sandbags to prevent shrapnel or small arms fire from penetrating and emptying the water. Only once was stupid enough to eat the WHOLE LRRP ration at onne, swells up pretty big after the water goes down! Give me pears or apricots any time. My last CO loved them. Gun Pilot, B3, the co co package. Gen. Walter S. McIlhenny. Even for me being a FNG they were a treat but I didnt appreciate them as much as the old timers did. I think the onions were gone in a matter of a few days. Good article. Only hot meal was the last morning for chow. So I gave my last Cs to a Boy Scout Troop and switched to freeze-dried packets (civilian version of MREs) . Enjoy! Those wonderful recipes that you made up so the Cs were more palatable. I was a dog handler in Vietnam 67-68. Years later I wonder if the paint was lead based? Water was critical. During the 1960s C-ration cigarettes were identical to the sample packs of four that tobacco salesreps handed out to the public. Its characteristics emphasize utility, flexibility of use, and more variety of food components than were included in the Ration, Combat, Individual (C Ration), which it replaces. CA. The coffee, sugar, creamer and hot cocoa came in paper envelopes. Ha, ha! Through some investigation he found the manufacturer of it was Sara Lee. Im writing a book which is fiction loosely based on my real experience for ages 10-14. The ration had to contain meat, bread, canned fruit, and some kind of dessert. I was barely more than a toddler during the Vietnam war, and am a non- veteran. (LogOut/ While on this maneuver I celebrated my birthday by having grape jelly with my pound cake. Actually, I has been liking and still remember those good smell and tasty of those Military canned food. the military mess kit also comes with a military fork, knife and spoon. FOR SALE! $45: VE-1225 Vietnam Boxed lock and keys. The short story, "The Things They Carried," written by Tim O'Brien (1990), appears to be an unpretentious narration that list the tangible items carried by the soldiers while fighting in the Vietnam War. This is the official Quartermaster's description of C-Rations used in Vietnam "The Meal, Combat, Individual, is designed for issue as the tactical situation dictates, either in individual units as a meal or in multiples of three as a complete ration. Twelve different menus are included in the specification. It was great when someone got a care package from homewe all shared. My favorite was, Ham & Eggs Chopped. There were times I ate the Cs and the dates were from the Korean years. got there 170 pounds left at a 110 pounds. $100.00 Vintage Complete Sealed Vintage Complete Sealed Vietnam Era Us C Rations Accessory Packet Wspoon Vintage Complete Sealed Vietnam Era Us C Rations Accessory Packet Wspoon. Close to Mom!s chocolate cookie mix before she put on the cooking ban to bake. Each usually consisted of a can of some basic course, a can of fruit, a packet of some type of dessert, a packet of powdered coca, a small pack of cigarettes, and two pieces of chewing gum. A must have item for your helmet display, uniform or gear. It had a flavor I can not duplicate to this day. If I remember correctly, we used heating tablets in our stove to heat a can of whatever (no ham and lima beans for me) well I guess that qualifies as a hot meal. son of the 2nd company president of McIlhenny Company from his experiences with C-Rations as a soldier during WWII came up with the idea to send soldiers copies of the Charlie Ration Cookbook filled with recipes for spicing up C-rations with Tabasco Pepper Sauce wrapped around two-ounce bottles of Tabasco Pepper Sauce along with a handful of a P-38 type can openers all in a waterproof canister. Sounds like a lot of B S to me. Our company left San Diego with a Navy Band giving us Marines a memorable send off. Sorry 11Bs I always took my favorite out first. Find great deals on eBay for c rations cigarettes. If you want to learn more about the Vietnam War and its Warriors, then subscribe to this blog and get notified by email or your feed reader every time a new story, picture, video or changes occur on this website the button is located at the top right of this page. This was so insightful to read! That was like eating the congealed fat from a canned ham. As a historian, these are important details as even food technologies change. However, brilliant military minds said we could not eat there and our 12 hour shifts were intense preventing us from taking a journey to the other side. I thank each of you for all you have done and all the countless sacrifices you made. The C-Ration was replaced in 1958 with the Meal Combat Individual (MCI).
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