Hi mates, good paragraph and fastidious urging commented here, I am genuinely enjoying by these. When I look at your blog in Opera, it looks fine but These simple treats brought so much joy to my dad; It has sparked a lifelong love in him for them even to this day (the canned peanut butter and fruitcake to be exact). This establishment made Beans and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce shipping thousands of cases a month out. A couple of days later our friend David called and told us that there was a problem with the sauce. Sounds like a lot of B S to me. At times we actually had to buy cases of C-rats in Phan Thiet where there was a thriving black market. They loved hearing how Tabasco Sauce made even C-rats mostly palatable. Today Gover keeps a . There was a time shortly after making my second move to a new area we got resupplied with a case of fresh onions by mistake. Pingback: Remember C-Rations? Put 1 slice on the bottom of the 2 cans with attached lids. In 1925, the meat ration was replaced with canned pork and beans. I would save my fruit and pond cake and trad for their rations of beer. As the Doughboys went to France, the ration changed. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Pound cake was one f the favorites in my platoon. It was reported in the media that each soldier in Vietnam had a hot meal each day. Spicy Beef, One of my favorite meat dishes in a case of Cs. Some of the meals werent too bad, especially if somebody from home sent Heinz-57 Sauce or Hot Sauce to doctor them up. If somebody liked Lucky Strikes, Parliament, Chesterfields or Pall Malls, they would never run out. The new menu (late 1968 onward) included good stuff like beans & weenies. 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. As a Army pilot, I knew this well. We never had cold meals. I just put the pound cake into one of my scenes. Yuck. $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 Well, my friends, let me refresh your memory and tell you everything you need to know but have forgotten about those wonderful meals. It let off a whooshing sound as the pressure seal broke. During World War II, C-Rations included a cigarette packet of nine cigarettes. $45: VE-1225 Vietnam Boxed lock and keys. Vietnam C Ration Cigarette : Top Picked from our Experts Vietnam Veteran Keeps Vow, Eats 40-Year-Old CakeFriday , July 24, 2009. . The small cans included in the meal were ideal for making a stove. My Vietnamese would give me a rice ball, or a cooked and salted ballof chicken, or some fish with Nuoc Maum sometimes I carried a can of chili when I could get it at the PX in Saigon. yes i remember . I am a VA RN and a volunteer wildland firefighter / EMT-B. Great article, I was USMC 1966/67 Vietnam. Good grief.that was 50 years ago and I had just turned 18. It would burn hotter and was much better for heating water. lemon aid powder was good with some descent tasting water, [] https://charliecompany.org/2012/04/20/c-rations/ [], [] freeze dried meals Ive tried over the years didnt taste much better than the C rations I ate in the military. Missed the initial one 4 years ago. In the fall of this year I will be in a paramedic program. Hats off to all of you guys! C $19.38. But, Nuac mam still sucks ass! I came from Landisville PA in Lancaster County that was only 12 miles from Lititz. Even though America gov. 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. Message me for more detailed photos and orders in bulk. 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. if so, what was the dogs favorite meal? Military explosives are designed to go through combat. You were the unsung heroes of Army aviation. ;~) shows storage age and wear and is still sealed. In and around Quang Tri with side trips to Hue, Khe San & Dong Ha. and more. Havent heard that in eons. Nate Hill, Pres, TAC Tankers Assn. Original Vietnam era US Military C Ration white plastic Spoon.From C Ration 382314172092. I mixed the cocoa powder, coffee powder and creamer in hot water for a tolerable beverage. Original was from a formerly unopened original accessory pack. I really enjoyed reading these replies about c-rations and your experiences in Vietnam. Ron Perron from United Kingdom. Elements of a United States Military Meal, Combat, Individual ration, as served in Da Nang, South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, 1966 or 1967. It smells good, Moak said as he put a handful in his mouth. As I remember our C rats were marked 1941 &42. Your email address will not be published. My father told me that it was a food container, made of stainless steel, where the lid doubles as a frying pan of a sort, and the strap handle could extend into a handle for the pan (I hope that made sense..). Your email address will not be published. Cut the canned roll in half, spooning the can of cheese inside, put back in can, fold over the can top, put back in c-rat box and light the box on fire. Everyone like cake after that. Great articlebrings back many memories of the bad old days. 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. Hated Ham and Lima beans. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage K Brand Rabbit Family Ration Patch Logo Snapback Trucker Hat Cap USA at the best online prices at eBay! Old Marine. Excellent !! Also sometimes we added the sugar, creamer, and coffee park in the coco package adding a little water mixing it up. I was there during the transition from C-Rats to MREs during the early 80s. One case of C-Rations contained 6 rations. Used to put them on the voltage regulators to heat. Patrick Douglas Erb was there from Oct.20,1970-March 15,1971. Corporal. Development began in 1938 with the . We called our can openers a JOHN WAYNE or P38 it had a small hole in it and we would put it on our dog tags. Ahh, comfort food in the middle of the jungle. got there 170 pounds left at a 110 pounds. The MCI was intended as a modest improvement over the earlier canned Type C or C ration, with inclusion . I liked Ham and M..f That meant I always had plenty to eat. Now you could use an ammo box with a thousand rounds instead of the standard ammo box and metal feed chute limited to 300 rounds. (LogOut/ Must have been around 2006 I was surfing the web trying to find guys I served with and to my surprise I found a website from the unit I served with, 1st bn 22nd inf, 4th inf division. Moak said he wasnt worried about getting sick from any bacteria that may have gotten into the old can, because it looked sealed. Mass-2 Marine attached to the 3rd Marine Div. taste of C-rats in 1975 in basic training at Fort Polk La. It was such a shock to my system that I had diarrhea for a week! We just heated ours with a ball of C-4, i.e., after opening the can. Where can I buy this rations ?I like this food too much. Open the cracker can leaving the lid attached, fill half way with dirt, then drain some JP-4 from under the Huey in to the can. "The bread was awful. Our company left San Diego with a Navy Band giving us Marines a memorable send off. We always had plenty of rice. Thanksgiving and Christmas 1967 saw one beer per guy allotted to the troops. In Vietnam I was with Regional and Popular Force troops in Rung Sat Special All those you show here was my usual meals at the jungle in Vietnam. Original Vietnam era US Military C Ration white plastic Spoon.From C Ration 382314172092. VE-1226 Cigarette case from the 67TH TAC Recon Wing. C-Rations FSN 8970-577-4513 Specification MIL-M-35048 First procured in 1961, the Meal, Combat, Individual (MCI) weighed just under 2 pounds and was produced in 12 different menus. Items; Share. L/Cpl P.T. 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. You, and all veterans have my utmost respect and admiration. made it somehow. Vietnam (1961-75) Collectibles; Militaria; Vietnam (1961-75) Original Period Items; Other Vietnam War Orig. The one in the marines was stationed in ChuLai. Chrissy In 1976 I found the notebook in some old Marine stuff I was going through and I finally got to make the sauce,and it was pretty darn good. Levine named the threats as mold and deadly botulism if the sealing on the food has been broken, which isnt always visible. Thanks for your service. Also read a lot about their c-rat experiences too. Used extensively during World War II. 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. Plate. Blocks of c 4 began to be available, this spared claymores. It was a common thing to trade C rations for cigarettes. And my brothers. $79.95 Vietnam Us Army I dont recall eating many of the meals warm. Sold by kragsr4c07 in Great Falls Buy Now! 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. C-Ration: Development began in 1938 and was completed between 1941 and 1945. description of C-Rations used in Vietnam: The small cans included in the meal were ideal for making a stove. Jerry. Through some investigation he found the manufacturer of it was Sara Lee. ago. I destroyed my taste buds eating my Moms cooking. Heating the meals and water required a small stove (see article below) with Sterno tabs or C-4 plastic explosive, the later burning very hot and fast preferred for quick meals. 2nd tour, NO problem, LOACH pilot and home every night if I didnt get shot down! 4.5 out of 5 stars (128) Spent almost 2 yrs in Northern I corps. Saved the coke for when we would be by the tanks or APCs. Sitting in a bunker with a m60 in the monsoons I try to forget. The container itself had 2 compartments. Beans an winnies the best.ham and eggs always green no way I would eat it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From Sylmar, CA. meal eggs always looked greenish . The ration was very heavy, weighing 5 lbs . C-packs also contained cartons of Cigaretts, M&Ms and other favorites, Three of us hailed a cab & that older gent stopped & bought us a six pack. crispy critters burn victims CS Zone (450 sq miles of mangrove). Smith Bravo Co. 2nd Plt 1st Bn 1st Mar Rgt 1st Mar Div, Old memories I was a helicopter crew chief in 1967 with the 25th Infantry out of Cu Chi. | dng sng c. Smilesnada but smiles. Each menu contains: one canned meat item; one canned fruit, bread or dessert item;one B unit; an accessory packet containing cigarettes, matches, chewing gum, toilet paper, coffee, cream, sugar, and salt; and a spoon. We learned how to cook rice in an ammo can and that Ham & MFs with greens, heated and served hot over the rice with some kimchee as a condiment was a decent meal. Very well written and important for us who did not serve due to age ( too young) to learn about this, Excellent; Issued as one boxed ration per person per day. I carry my P38 that i had in Vietnam on my keychain. fruit cocktail about to down it and a 60mm blasted my can out Hill 55 out of DaNang. Every once in awhile they would send us out real food and some Beer and coke. Ill never eat C-Rations again, but I can remember when I was glad to have them. I collect all of the C-Rats rejects and I have plenty to eat. Usually the coffee, sugar and creamer had to be worked over with a bayonet pommel to reconstitute it into powder. Typical commercial brands issued in the cigarette rations in Vietnam were: Camel, Chesterfield, Kent, Kool, Lucky Strike, Marlboro, Pall Mall, Salem, . My last CO loved them. Despite the new name, the MCI was still popularly referred to by the troops as "C-Rations" (or "Charlie rats"), which it resembled in nearly all respects. God bless you and I hope that this note finds you well, Sir. They Tried! Semper Fidelis. I want to thank all the men and women who served in Vietnam. So I gave my last Cs to a Boy Scout Troop and switched to freeze-dried packets (civilian version of MREs) . I was a dog handler in Vietnam 67-68. Popular products. Sir, thank you for your service in Vietnam and for the insightful information you provided in this article. Hey Fred, I was with the same unit as you except I was in B Company, August of 69 through June of 70. , Just looking at a can of Ham and MFers makes me wanna puke. 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. 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. My favorite meal was SPICED BEEF and GRAVY with crackers and cheese. Thanks for your. Each complete meal contains approximately 1200 calories. Ive eaten both and they do indeed taste the same. Ur full of it Old Marine. Military C-Ration Peanut Butter Can Unopened Cinderella Foods Inc Dawson Ga $13.00 $17.05 shipping Gen. Walter S. McIlhenny. Glad to be on my way back to Goliad, TX so many of my buds were not so lucky. But themilitarydiscourages eating from old rations. The heat tabs gave off exhaust like tear gas, which could drive guys out of a tent or bunker, so a little C-4 was just the thing burned hot and clean, and no danger of exploding because C-4 was a stable substance. Right? Fox 2/7 Marines 0311 June 1969/June 1970. the outer layer of clear plastic is starting to delaminate from the brown plastic. Pall Mall, Luckies, Winston, Salem and Benson & Hedges Menthol were five of the brands found in Vietnam era field ration packets. That was like eating the congealed fat from a canned ham. In 1988 a friend of mine who owned an oyster bar/restaurant told me that he liked the sauce and wanted to know if I would make him some for his restaurant,which my wife and I did .We hand wrote the labels on notebook paper and scotch taped them to the bottles ,and gave them to our friend. Who could ever forget about C-Rations? USMC 2/9 DA NANG , DONG HA, I was at Pleiku AB 67-68 and we used to open up the tin of peanut butter, take a match and light the top layer of oil, and it burned excellent! On rare occasions when allowed piled stones put tab in middle for stove. It`s the meal that had the pound cake. Kindest regards. Almost never saw heat tabs , we called them c tabs they didnt want us to have flames. i was in from 1966 to 1972. i never ate a c ration that was younger than me. Years later I wonder if the paint was lead based? I remember the first time we got to sample some Cs just after we went threw the gas obstacle back in basic training. It was illustrated by Fred Rhoads. the military mess kit also comes with a military fork, knife and spoon. The components of the MCI were the M - "Meat Unit", the B - "Bread Unit", and D - "Dessert Unit". 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. I was the lucky one that LIKED ham and Lima beans! Thanks for your interesting accounts, and for your service. Those wonderful recipes that you made up so the Cs were more palatable. I was an infantry radio operator with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, located in the Hiep Duc. ONE ORIGINAL!! 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. To you and to all the crew chiefs and gunners, from the bottom of my heart, I say thank you. When out on missions, infantry units were re-supplied with food, water, ammunition, clothes and other items by helicopter every three to five days. 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! 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. The daily ration of 3 meals provides approximately 3600 calories." There were 4 choices of meat in each B group. I agree almost entirely with you assessment of taste and quality and preferences, with one exception: I was a combat photographer with the First Air Cav, and made it my personal mission to photograph an op from each of our original 8 infantry battalions , all of our artillery battalions, and the engineer and cavalry units, plus every company in the Aviation brigade. In the aviation community wed take a can of biscuits, poke holes in it, pour some JP4 into it, and voila a stove!! Pall Mall, Luckies, Winston, Salem and Benson & Hedges Menthol were five of the brands found in Vietnam era field ration packets. Most were tossed because they didnt want to clean them or carry the extra bulk in favor of the canteen cup which fit around the canteen and in the pouch plus it made no noise while you were walking around compared to the rattle of the utensils in your mess kit. USMC. Cs provided a good snack during night-time flight line work. I had a couple bites but couldnt get the rest down. all were palatable, but the peaches were outstanding. Agree pound cake slice it mix choc sugar creamer make icing. It would explain a lot of the stupid decisions Ive made over the years. A small chunk of C-4 explosive could also be substituted for the Trioxin tablet for faster heating. Although the meat item can be eaten cold, it is more palatable when heated. (LogOut/ Anything a dog wont eat should not be consumed by a human. I lived on peaches & pound cake for breakfast with hot chocolate. I was 13. 2. I was a high-speed radio operator (MOS 062) during the peacetime years 1955-58, after Korea and before Vietnam. I always made it in a c rat can. 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. Gentlemen, I was wondering if you ever ate at a local shack/stall in town or did you ever go fishing?