Honestly, the scrambled egg chunks or beans and weenies werent bad cold, but the rest needed to be heated in order to be palatable. When I had my first taste of LRP Rations I thought it was food for angels. I did 3 tours 69-71 with Army artillery..Our 1st c rats were stamped 1946 and tasted no differnt than those made in the 60s..Beans and Weenies all the way! Once I got some pancakes that had been stuffed down an elephant rubber. I , however, could not find its same taste and flavor in America after 30 years in USA. My dear father was stationed in New Guinea as a U.S. Army medic during World War II, and from him I learned what C rations were. It was just what I needed. This was so insightful to read! C-packs also contained cartons of Cigaretts, M&Ms and other favorites, 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. During the 1960s C-ration cigarettes were identical to the sample packs of four that tobacco salesreps handed out to the public. Issued as one boxed ration per person per day. Required fields are marked *. With its flip-top box, Marlboro was the most popular brand in Vietnam, despite COMUSMACV General Creighton W. Abrams' penchant for cigars, a preference dating back to his World War II service as a tank battalion commander. Close to Mom!s chocolate cookie mix before she put on the cooking ban to bake. Three of us hailed a cab & that older gent stopped & bought us a six pack. Went back a few months ago, the whole country has changed. Never saw anyone eat pound cake without spitting it out. Its even a little moist, he said, wiping his mouth. At An Khe and Bong Son. Serving in the Marine corps the beef stew in cans, cold,! Need Easy, Nutritious Food While Blacktail Deer Hunting. crispy critters burn victims CS And to you Vietnam soldierswelcome home sincerely wished to you all. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. I was raised on Spam in South Dakota and Minnesota since Spam is manufactured in Minn. To this day I enjoy Spam sandwiches!! Never told 2nd Lts about the hazards of heating an un-opened can. To eating our faithful C rations. would love to find a rec for them now Military explosives are designed to go through combat. It smells good, Moak said as he put a handful in his mouth. My dad knew few young kind and handsome American colleagues that I admired and impressed at that time. We would either just add sugar pack and eat. I considered serving with the US Armed Forces on countless occasions however I have an old skateboarding injury in my foot and ankle and hardware that came with it that ultimately made me decide to serve domestically. Once lit it would put out a decent flame..my favorite was spiced beef.but had to be served hot.cold it sucked. Great. We had C Rations to eat while in the Pentagon Oct 21st 1967 while the war protest march was going on. We just heated ours with a ball of C-4, i.e., after opening the can. Only down fall was it was instant heart burn. With this type of stove only half a Trioxin heat tab was needed to heat the meal and then the other half could be used to heat water for coffee or cocoa. Scottie Hill CW4(Ret) Ret. Im writing a book which is fiction loosely based on my real experience for ages 10-14. 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. Non-smokers were known to swap the C-rats cigarette. We had to heat them on the engine block of a truck or the exhaust grill of a tank. Actually, I has been liking and still remember those good smell and tasty of those Military canned food. I got pretty good at stealing C4 to cook with , and those LRRP rations . The 1st Inf Div was not allowed beer in the field due to some previous incident. Kevin. Semper Fidelis. Going through a box of memorabilia a couple days ago. They have the following menus: Ham & Eggs Ingredients: 82.5% whole egg, 9.3% of pork, onion, herbs, spices, salt, E250, E621, E300/E301, dextrose. Pound Cake and Peaches were my favorite, Sometimes the VC beat us to the C-Packs when they were dropped in the jungle by chopper. I really enjoyed reading these replies about c-rations and your experiences in Vietnam. PHU BAI, CAMP CARROLL, NAM 66/67. Really love your stories. The last two I couldn`t eat and they found botulism in the beans and I almost starved . The "Honcho Club". I did that too but I wondered sometimes if a 7.62 round could ignite it. Marines were not great cooks, but they were inventive. On the way we had C-Rats, I liked the Ham and Lima beans, they were easy to trade for as a lot of guys like you did not like them. 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. C-Rations were developed in 1938 as a replacement for reserve rations, which sustained troops during World War I, and consisted chiefly of canned corned beef or bacon and cans of hardtack. iI LOVE C RATION WISH I HAD SOME NOW I ATE THEM EVERY DY WHEN I WAS IN NAM I W THERE FOR 18 MONTH WIT THE 101 ST ABN. Was in army boot basic in 1980 Jan I Remer those c and b rations still have my P38 on my Dog tags from boot camp. I have a few fng stories about Cs. Since I didnt smoke, the cigarette 5-packs (except Chesterfields, which nobody wanted) came in handy for that. DD345 - Liberty Pass. Well, my friends, let me refresh your memory and tell you everything you need to know but have forgotten about those wonderful meals. Vietnam War C-Ration Cigarette Pack Lucky Strike Repro Opens in a new window or tab. $40 : VE-1124 Mortar carrier's shoulder pads, to support the metal barrel. Ham and Limas was the favorite for this purpose. 2.) I was hoping you could help me identify a certain piece of equipment that soldiers used to cook/reheat their meals during the Vietnam War. An afternoon like this was a celebration, unfortunately, it only happened about once or twice a month. SO, GOD BLESS YOU ALL. I do have a question the meat and beans I liked but raised on beans, I recently found and on line copy of the Us Army cook book. I never went away hungry! When absolutely necessary, Id empty the water and spoon in a can of cheese, melting it together with a ball of C-4. Most used their canteen cups, which nested on the bottom of 1 Qt. OK, now that your memory is refreshed, do you remember how you cooked your C-Rations. I always wanted or traded for boned chicken or turkey, because if I remember correctly they were made in Saint James MN. My story is written in letter form with letters to the characters father, to Walter Cronkite and to some other people. were dog rations and c rations the same thing? 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. Last time I tried to replace my Cs the price had gone out of sight. Pingback: A brief history of coffee in the US military | We Are The Mighty, On the tug Agnes Foss we hauled a lot of C-rations around the coast and up rivers. What brands of cigarettes were in C-Rations? Got some Phillip Morris cigarettes in a dark brown package PM quit using the dark brown package in the late 1940s thats how old some of the Cs were. Vietnam C Ration Cigarette : Top Picked from our Experts Well not like from our great restaurants. Forty years later, Henry A. Moak, Jr., still loves his pound cake. The blue heat tabs emitted a gas that would burn your eyes and c-4 was harder to locate for us. I mixed the cocoa powder, coffee powder and creamer in hot water for a tolerable beverage. just outside of Da Nang, we were working with the KMC. $45: VE-1225 Vietnam Boxed lock and keys. Old wolfhound hereA/1/27.66,67,68..no one mentioned the hobo stove which when out of heat tabs or C-4 we would open a can of peanut butter. Jerry. You brought back a lot of memories. 10 days later gulfort, mississippi.. jus lemme have a p38.. The dream of being a SEAL, US Marine, PJ, Delta, Recon, and the like is still very much alive within me to this day. I had a couple bites but couldnt get the rest down. Excellent !! Loved the lerps when we could get them. You could boil a canteen cup of water with a pea-size ball of it in 30 seconds. Each meal was in its own cardboard box, which contained the individual items sealed in cans. great footlocker or combat field pack display item. Camel Cigarettes C-Ration Vietnam Era Vietnam 2 Quart Canteen M1967 Cover Mint 1972 Air Defense Artillery Guidon 1st of the 59th Sleeping Bag Carrier Strap Assembly Vietnam era Vietnam Era Flyers Kit Bag 1972 Vietnam era 1968 Lubricating Oil Tin O-190 Vietnam era 1971 Medium Weapons Oil Bottle Vietnam era 1969 Rifle Bore Cleaner He would flatly refuse to eat canned Spam when I was a young girl, saying it reminded him of those C rations! I had 2 brothers in the military, one in the marines, one in the army. "The bread was awful. As an infantry unit our year was pretty much the same as yours. the military mess kit also comes with a military fork, knife and spoon. I do recall being thirsty. Potable water ( without iodine tablets mixed) was difficult to obtain in the field. Enjoy! I came from Landisville PA in Lancaster County that was only 12 miles from Lititz. German military outfitter Bausenwein is offering brand new, reproduction C-rations. Hey Fred, I was with the same unit as you except I was in B Company, August of 69 through June of 70. We, the Army Inspectors, condemned them all. Did not see mention of toothpick that you chewed one end for toothbrush ( sucked). Smith Bravo Co. 2nd Plt 1st Bn 1st Mar Rgt 1st Mar Div, Old memories As the Doughboys went to France, the ration changed. Ham and eggs were definitely the worst.with the consistency of the congealed fat from a canned ham but ham & mothers referred to ham & lima beans. Typical commercial brands issued in the cigarette rations in Vietnam were: Camel, Chesterfield, Kent, Kool, Lucky Strike, Marlboro, Pall Mall, Salem, or Winston. 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. 1966-67 Opening a claymore , take a ball of c 4, light it View history. I think I was one of a few who actually liked ham and Limas. 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. Some of the meals werent too bad, especially if somebody from home sent Heinz-57 Sauce or Hot Sauce to doctor them up. I was the lucky one that LIKED ham and Lima beans! Sounds like a lot of B S to me. Find great deals on eBay for c rations cigarettes. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Scan of original thanks to Dave Stieghan. If you lucked into the peach can, you could trade it for almost anything. My first thought was that Crap,weve killed someone,but thankfully the only problem was that every bottle had been stolen off the tables,and he wanted to know if we would make him some more,which we did,and they were also stolen. 1st tour grunt recon, etc. But, Nuac mam still sucks ass! The first and last time I ate that meal. Ive eaten both and they do indeed taste the same. Moak got the drab olive can as a Marine helicopterpilotoff the Vietnamese coast in 1973. Semper Fi. 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. When I was in AIT training, I can remember eating the fortified chocolate wafers made at the Wilber Chocolate factory in Lititz, PA. Fortunately I was able to run down a medic with some antacid. Gun Pilot, B3, the co co package. Reproduction WW2 German MP40 Transit Case $350.00 WW2 K Ration Heavy Duty Cardboard Packing Box (10 in 1, K Ration, Heffenreffer Beer.) 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. Always let the FNGs learn a lesson the hard way. The Meal, Combat, Individual (MCI) was the name of canned wet combat rations issued by the United States Armed Forces from 1958 to 1980. Did you see how expensive they are on Ebay? 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. I found that these meals are easy and quick to prepare and they rehydrate []. I was there during the transition from C-Rats to MREs during the early 80s. Found four P38s still in the brown paper wrapping that I brought back from Nam in Dec. 72. I am a VA RN and a volunteer wildland firefighter / EMT-B. If I admit to actually liking and trading for ham & lima beans, does that imply Im strange beyond? Canned meals for use in the field. Just askin, BTW: I grew up in New Orleans and knew many of the McIlhenny family. 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. There was a reason they were called Ham & Motherfuckers. The standard ration pack issued to infantrymen in Vietnam was the Australian Combat Ration (One Man). Turkey packed in 30 weight motor oil was the worst. Meals such as beef stew, spaghetti and meatballs, chili and others were a wonderful diversion from the mundane canned food we were subjected to. Cigarettes, once considered crucial to American fighting men, have sadly gone the way of the daily rum ration. Brings back a lot of memories. Even then I ate one like an apple but the fellows that had been there longer made c rat stew and threw in the onions. I was with the 15th Aerial Port Sq 1968-69, Da Nang. I want to thank all the men and women who served in Vietnam. Thanks for summing up all the C-ration experiences. It replaced the earlier C-ration, which it was so similar to . Looked for the fruit cans mostly, but some of the other items were tasty too. And how did those taste? I grew up in Pensacola,and lived on tabasco sauce for my oysters and everything else, and while in Nam I came up with an idea for my own hot sauce for eating c rations with,and wrote it down in a notebook we kept our call signs and frequencies in. I remember the first time we got to sample some Cs just after we went threw the gas obstacle back in basic training. . Best dessert was peaches & pound cake, but you had to trade for stuff. A combination my Italian wife would cringe at. In the field 90% of my tour. 1960s US GI Vietnam era C-Ration PLASTIC SPOON Brand New $14.95 klink-one (11,878) 99.9% Buy It Now Free shipping 125 sold Sponsored Vintage Vietnam era unopened Combat C Rations B1 B2 B3 Unit Crackers & Candy Brand New $45.00 southern-surplus2016 (1,355) 100% or Best Offer A stove was usually carried in the back pack or cargo pocket and used repeatedly until the metal began to fail. Always cigarettes, toilet paper and matches. The brothers always would trade for Menthols. Pingback: Feasting on the Frontlines: The Vietnam War Discussing Food History. it seemed like that to me :)) , and shredded beef ( per my visual to call it as such) . Fishing? $40.00 WW2 German Patronenkasten 88 Ammunition Crate $150.00 WW1 German Patronenkasten 88 Ammunition Crate $150.00 WW1 British and Commonwealth Biscuit Ration Crate $90.00 Your email address will not be published. I just put the pound cake into one of my scenes. Division base camps and some larger firebases had staffed mess halls, serving three hot meals every day. In 1968-69 I ate c-rations that were older than I was. So it was c-rats for at least two meals a night. Some of the guys cannot stand to watch me eat one. Trying to spread the word to potentially interested people. Only hot meal was the last morning for chow. It`s the meal that had the pound cake. The C-4 was safe to use as long as it wasnt compressed or using too much at one time. What do you think? Thank you for taking the time to write this article. shows storage age and wear and is still sealed. I liked the Cs better. It would explain a lot of the stupid decisions Ive made over the years. Fine. Took me back,soldier. It got to taste good warm after you got used to it. A can opener (called both a John Wayne or a P-38) was needed to open the cans. When were cigarettes removed from C rations? I was a helicopter crew chief in 1967 with the 25th Infantry out of Cu Chi. Original Vietnam era US Military C Ration white plastic Spoon.From C Ration 382314172092. The absolute worst, in my opinion, was the ham & eggs, chopped. Silly me ! My dad died in Vietnam in 1965. C-rations featured options that included a variety of entrees, like spaghetti and meatballs, turkey loaf, ham and eggs, etc. The K-ration, developed by University of Minnesota physician Ancel Keys, provided three complete and balanced, 3,000-calorie meals in compact packages. noviopera From shop noviopera. New Reproduction C-Rations Available. He jokingly staggered back a few feet and loudly cleared his throat, while one person yelled out, Eeww, gross!. In 1922, the ration was reorganized to consist of 16 ounces (450 g) of meat (usually beef jerky ), 3 ounces (85 g) of canned corned beef or chocolate, 14 ounces (400 g) of hard bread or hardtack biscuits, coffee and sugar. [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). BTW, I did some shows with Justin Wilson in New Orleans. Toilet paper and mosquito juice in band on our steel pot to keep them dry. But I read as much as I can get my hands on about what it was like to have served in those times. When I look at your blog in Opera, it looks fine but These things have left a deep impression on him, and he recalls to those memories fondly, despite the trying period his country was facing during that time. Prayers-Love and GREAT BIG -Thank you to ALL Military personnel (still here or passed) and their families for serving our COUNTRY. Had to have Tabasco sauce for the C rats. It would burn hotter and was much better for heating water. Every once in awhile they would send us out real food and some Beer and coke. We got a hot meal in the jungle only after a firefight. My last CO loved them. There were times I ate the Cs and the dates were from the Korean years. Menu. They loved hearing how Tabasco Sauce made even C-rats mostly palatable. Same when I came out of the field and started eating mess-hall chow regularly. We would get a hot meal maybe onced a month. Yes of course the C-Rations survived the bears. The C-ration (officially Field Ration . When out on missions, infantry units were re-supplied with . I was barely more than a toddler during the Vietnam war, and am a non- veteran. Right? Great walk down memory lane. It's one of the most celebrated feats of World War II: On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 troops stormed the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day invasion . 2.03M subscribers Subscribe 129K 9.7M views 6 years ago Check out this full review of a Vietnam War MCI or "C Ration"! Greg Dearborn says: Service. TM 21 1965. The Vietnamese will sit for hours with a homemade fishing pole fishing. I liked Ham and M..f That meant I always had plenty to eat. Any leads would be greatly appreciated! [] the bread and voila a toasted cheese sandwich. (LogOut/ And in spite of all their faults, I do sometimes miss C-Rats, especially the Pound Cake! As an infantry soldier in Vietnam, C-Rations was my sole source of nourishment for at least 300 of the 365 days I served in-country. Hated Ham and Lima beans. This isnt Larry Craft from Pittsburgh, is it? I was a cold war veteran spending my 3 years in Germany, but we were issued them for field trips, alerts and exercises. l drove a 5 ton dump and heated meals for everybody on the manifold a hot can of SOS in your belly goes a long way towards boosting your spirits. Miss those soldiers from our lives deeply. I also still have my P-38. Mass-2 Marine attached to the 3rd Marine Div. . George Newport dynamite and dirt merchant Combat Engineer. We took them camping, my sister wanted corn dogs, which the bears ate as they passed thru our camp. During the monsoon season or in areas with rivers and streams, this is a moot point as water is plentiful!