My dog would not eat the ham and lima beans. Great articlebrings back many memories of the bad old days. They are not any where near as sensitive as civilian explosives. Thanks for your service. Others were downright awful (Ham and Lima beans) and passed over left behind for the Cherries when it is their turn to pick out meals. I really enjoyed Meat balls & beans. I was an US ARMY Veterinary food inspector from 1967 to 1987. Items; Share. During the 1960s C-ration cigarettes were identical to the sample packs of four that tobacco salesreps handed out to the public. Being from MN was my home connection. It was just what I needed. DONT HOW THEY PRESEVERED THEM BUT THEY DID A GOOG JOB TSGT CLARENCE C WOODY USAF. You can live a long time on just water, so I do not recall being hungry. Opening a claymore , take a ball of c 4, light it Open can of peaches with P-38. 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. Cs provided a good snack during night-time flight line work. That went for Officers and enlisted men. Using a John Wayne (a P-38) pierce a series of closely spaced holes around the top and bottom rims of the can. When I look at your blog in Opera, it looks fine but CA. 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. never gave that a thought until now. Issued as one boxed ration per person per day. 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. An afternoon like this was a celebration, unfortunately, it only happened about once or twice a month. It would burn hotter and was much better for heating water. Ur full of it Old Marine. Because there were several "vintages" of C's issued to the Marines and Seabees in Vietnam, more than 4 items may be listed in the B groups as well as the brands of cigarettes included in the accessory pack. Always let the FNGs learn a lesson the hard way. Spicy Beef, One of my favorite meat dishes in a case of Cs. If you read this and you would like to try it,just give me a call at 1-800-347-2823 and i would be happy to send you a free bottle. The dilemma here is that water is required for these and at almost three pounds per quart; the extra weight is a consideration. Sounds like a lot of B S to me. The components of the MCI were the M - "Meat Unit", the B - "Bread Unit", and D - "Dessert Unit". Dan DMZ M/co 1969 USMC Hill 461 Sieara Rock Pile , Stud, LZ MAC chopper down! Only hot meal was the last morning for chow. The can fit the input chute clip perfectly and provided a smooth curved surface for the linked 7.62s to feed ammo into the M-60. The popular brands like Winston, Marlboro, Kools and Salem were always in short supply and benefited the non-smokers who used them to barter. Thanks for this article and thanks all American officers and soldiers in the field of VN war. Hey Fred, I was with the same unit as you except I was in B Company, August of 69 through June of 70. $90 VE-545 Can Opener from the C-Ration Crate. "The bread was awful. We were supplied by air drops and you ran to the pallet to get the best c ration unit. Remember c rats well . Listing is for 1x Pin Badges, please specify the design at checkout or a random ones will be sent out. The menu is comprised of one meat (meatloaf, beef tips, chicken, etc), mashed potatoes, veggies, cake or pie, ice-cold milk, lemonade and steaming, hot coffee. Looked for the fruit cans mostly, but some of the other items were tasty too. These meals came in a case containing 12 meals. Packages of 20 cigarettes each are the same as the regular civilian packs and were sold in US Army operated PX stores. A whole heat tab had to be used. I do not smoke so I save the small pack of cigarettes. I was barely more than a toddler during the Vietnam war, and am a non- veteran. Smoking the local product might fool Mr. Charles. We would punch a few holes in the top of the can using a P38 and add a small amount of water and heat it for a bit with a piece of C4. , Just looking at a can of Ham and MFers makes me wanna puke. OK, now that your memory is refreshed, do you remember how you cooked your C-Rations. Yes I remembered those olive canned food because my dad, VNs regime Officer before 1975, let me tried > canned of chocolate in foil, cake, peach, M&M, shredded pork ( ? always seemed to get to to the carton last an last was trash eating. Hot BBQ beef. About C-Rations. so what did you feed your dog in nam? In 1975 they stopped putting cigarettes in rations which raised hell with US troops everywhere. 1 for 5 5 for 20 20 for 40 Keep an . The only thing I find myself craving from time to time was the instant coffee with of course dry creamer and sugar although I think it was making it in one of the C ration cans that gave it that special flavor. 2nd tour, NO problem, LOACH pilot and home every night if I didnt get shot down! I , however, could not find its same taste and flavor in America after 30 years in USA. Our company left San Diego with a Navy Band giving us Marines a memorable send off. Agree pound cake slice it mix choc sugar creamer make icing. c-4 was the best for heating, some 4th inf. On rare occasions when allowed piled stones put tab in middle for stove. Stumbled across this interesting site. 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. 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. Prayers-Love and GREAT BIG -Thank you to ALL Military personnel (still here or passed) and their families for serving our COUNTRY. I found this very interesting Hats off to all of you guys! Answer (1 of 10): I served in the Regular Army, Feb. '61- Feb. '64 and saw many brands of 5 cigarette packs in the C-Rations that we were issued. Service. TM 21 1965. We would take the white bread can open a tiny hole in it and put a few drops of water in ithold it over a ball of C-4 to instantly steam itopen the can cut the bread add peanut butter and jelly, and wow warm peanut butter and jelly sandwich on hot bread. 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. Ha, ha! Military explosives are designed to go through combat. Original Vietnam era US Military C Ration white plastic Spoon.From C Ration 382314172092. 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. Replace with VO or whatever whiskey you can find. 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). t004. Thanks again. Left out the crew chief version of a stove. Meals such as beef stew, spaghetti and meatballs, chili and others were a wonderful diversion from the mundane canned food we were subjected to. I thank each of you for all you have done and all the countless sacrifices you made. Technically, the C-ration of the Vietnam-era was a different thing than the World War II C-ration, but troops still called it a "C-rat," and it was very similar in packaging and content. This brought back memories from 68-69 in the jungles of the central highlands. The dehydrated pork and beef hockey pucks were supposed to be the big thing but the dried fruit was the best part. Forgot to mention earlier that battalion sometimes surprises us during resupply and brings out hot food in thermos containers. Honestly, the scrambled egg chunks or beans and weenies werent bad cold, but the rest needed to be heated in order to be palatable. Old Marine. Anything a dog wont eat should not be consumed by a human. Pingback: A brief history of coffee in the US military, Your website really help me and my grandson doing a paper on me. and more. During the 1960s C-ration cigarettes were identical to the sample packs of four that tobacco salesreps handed out to the public. made it somehow. The "Honcho Club". The only thing I miss was the instant coffee with the creamer and sugar. The cigarettes were even contaminated with bugs ! Pingback: Remember C-Rations? These were the times that made it ok. Each complete meal contains approximately 1200 calories. We went through East Germany on the Autobahn to Holiefields in Weat Germany for a training mission. When I told my idea to my wife,she looked at me and said,baby,youre crazy ! And thats how we started Crazy Jerrys sauce company in 1989 with our oyster,clam and everything else sauce. Scan of original thanks to Dave Stieghan. Heres a few of the photos from my page: http://1-22infantry.org/pics4/richard.htm. Yuck. It? Military explosives? You did what you had to do and made it home to an undeservedly rough reception. We, the Army Inspectors, condemned them all. The next thing I got was the MREs. Right? 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. $40 : VE-1124 Mortar carrier's shoulder pads, to support the metal barrel. The C-Ration, or Type C ration, was an individual canned, pre-cooked, and prepared wet ration. to a pack. Marvin J. Wolf, author of Abandoned In Hell, The Fight for Vietnams Firebase Kate.. Dear Chrissy, Serving in the Marine corps the beef stew in cans, cold,! "Peanut butter and crackers was the best," Orbell said. Little known or unpopular brands. https://charliecompany.org/2012/04/20/c-rations/ Reply With []. Hi, I was the in house inspector at Granite State packing from 72 until 75. Moak joked earlier this week that he hoped the can wouldnt explode. Brings back a lot of memories. The C-4 was safe to use as long as it wasnt compressed or using too much at one time. Never ate either one of these meals while in country. Thank you in advance! USA & International; Australia; Canada; France; Germany; Italy; 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. (Obviously some supply sergeant made himself a bunch of money.) fruit cocktail about to down it and a 60mm blasted my can out lol guess I was not human. Everybody liked Pound Cake, but there was only (1) box per case that had it. Cigarettes disappeared from rations in 1975, but their legacy was a . 34 watchers Ad vertisement from shop noviopera. C-packs also contained cartons of Cigaretts, M&Ms and other favorites, Bill McD I think the onions were gone in a matter of a few days. I am a VA RN and a volunteer wildland firefighter / EMT-B. Well not like from our great restaurants. Forty years later, Henry A. Moak, Jr., still loves his pound cake. Toward the end of my tour, we began having access to the freeze-dried LRRP meals. Ive eaten both and they do indeed taste the same. And my brothers. Semper Fidelis. We had c-rats (MCIs) in basic and in Germany on FTX until about 83, then we got MREs over there. Today Gover keeps a . I wanted to see the reality of what the soldiers had to endure. Due to health concerns, cigarettes were eliminated from the accessory packs in 1975. Sir, thank you for your service in Vietnam and for the insightful information you provided in this article. Wow brings back a lot of memories. Good grief.that was 50 years ago and I had just turned 18. It would swell up and we wood take it away from the exhaust port until it went back to its original size. 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. It would explain a lot of the stupid decisions Ive made over the years. Ill never eat C-Rations again, but I can remember when I was glad to have them. Every thing else not to bad. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Click Here for web printable Marlboro Cigarettes from C-Ration Accessory Pack. Since Cs were pre-cooked, they didnt need to be heated up, but it helped. Turkey packed in 30 weight motor oil was the worst. 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. Steve Miller 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. This Nov. 1966 incident happened as his unit left Camp Carroll in the DMZ, walked north, and after two days were ambushed by the NVA and Viet Cong. Give me pears or apricots any time. There was a reason they were called Ham & Motherfuckers. would love to find a rec for them now I came from Landisville PA in Lancaster County that was only 12 miles from Lititz. Marines were not great cooks, but they were inventive. (Ham and eggs) they were the worst. Years later I wonder if the paint was lead based? The ham and eggs were inedible. DD345 - Liberty Pass. 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. Chrissy Twelve different menus are included in the specification. Menu. To eating our faithful C rations. The foil pieces are 1.75"x1.75" and 1.75"x6" in size. 2.) I carry my P38 that i had in Vietnam on my keychain. USMC 2/9 DA NANG , DONG HA, Did not see mention of toothpick that you chewed one end for toothbrush ( sucked). Smilesnada but smiles. Vietnam (1961-75) Collectibles; Militaria; Vietnam (1961-75) Original Period Items; Other Vietnam War Orig. Semper Fi. He vowed to hang on to it until the day he retired, storing it in a box with other mementos. The 1st Inf Div was not allowed beer in the field due to some previous incident. I found that these meals are easy and quick to prepare and they rehydrate []. Cases of C-Rations are assigned and split among a squad of soldiers theres an ample supply to cover three meals per person 4.5 pounds of canned wet food for each days adequate nourishment. I will always remember that time 1967-68 Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vietnam war C-Ration Cigarette Pack Winston Repro at the best online prices at eBay! And in spite of all their faults, I do sometimes miss C-Rats, especially the Pound Cake! I was in Vietnam with the Marines from 68-69. And at 75 years old, thats a blessing. C-Rations are commercially prepared meals, used in the field and at times when hot meals were not available. Miss those soldiers from our lives deeply. In 1975 they stopped putting cigarettes in rations which raised hell with US troops everywhere. Going through a box of memorabilia a couple days ago. Our operation moved from the Air Force sector to the other side of the Air Base about a million miles away from our Mess facility. Everyone I knew always had a John Wayne (P-38) can opener on his dogtag chain and a plastic spoon in his pocket. There was also a separate "tobacco . Brand New. Back Posted March 31, 2018. The C-ration (officially Field Ration . 3-1969 to Feb 1970. The Food Service Officer (Canadian Major) thought she got a deal on them. Sold by kragsr4c07 in Great Falls Buy Now! Yes they did in WWI, WWII and right up to Vietnam. As the Doughboys went to France, the ration changed. Oh man, I love your story. I do recall being thirsty. The accessory pack with each meal was sealed in a foil pouch. Vietnam Era C-Ration Cigarette Pack www.hardscrabblefarm.com The photo above shows the components of the cigarette pack. It tasted like the congealed fat from a canned ham. In and around Quang Tri with side trips to Hue, Khe San & Dong Ha. There was always enough for seconds, but most of us passed as our shrunken stomachs have already overextended from a single helping of this gourmet meal. In the field 90% of my tour. C Ration Cigarettes (1 - 3 of 3 results) Price ($) Any price Under $25 $25 to $100 $100 to $250 . 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. That was when I had the idea to start my own sauce company. I use to take chip BBQ beef and cut the lid open, set the lid back on top, put the can back in the box and light it on fire. Explore Vietnam C Ration Cigarette with all the useful information below including suggestions, reviews, top brands, and related recipes,. Used extensively during World War II. So many times I got something other that ham & Lima so I made out in the bargain department. At An Khe and Bong Son. One thing I remember about Cs was the fruit. Cigarettes were bad for your health along with bullets. Silly me ! It tasted like delicious warm and moist cake fresh from the bakery. Gotta tell you that the ham and limas were the only c rat I couldnt eat and I love normal ham and limas,but the c rat version were way too salty, we called them the heavies. Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response. Army here, 67-70, most of 70 spent in Vietnam. C-rations featured options that included a variety of entrees, like spaghetti and meatballs, turkey loaf, ham and eggs, etc. I was an infantry radio operator with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, located in the Hiep Duc. yes crissie it was a mess kit one side flat other side had two compartments and you had silverware so to speak. Yes they did in WWI, WWII and right up to Vietnam. This is a very nice Vietnam Era Survival Kit & Ration Packaging collectors set, with great display potential. MACTHAI advisor here. I have the greatest respect for the grunts they did it with ingenuity and a lot of common sense. Put 1 slice on the bottom of the 2 cans with attached lids. I lived on pound cake and chicken noodle soup cooked with a pinch of C4. What I have here are various types of B units from year . One case of C-Rations contained 6 rations. C-Ration: Development began in 1938 and was completed between 1941 and 1945. 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. We sometimes ran out of C-rats, especially when we couldnt get resupply because the runway on our LZ was damaged by mortar attacks. Upon further review it becomes clear that the lists of "things" have a much deeper meaning and carry an abundance amount of . 2. C-rats. 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. Nuac mam.gag. Four can openers are provided in each case of 12 meals. We were at the end of the supply line so we ate a lot of C-rations. We have a great picture of my father, brother and i with our pup tent set up in the back yard cooking C-Rations on my dads small portable 1 can cook stove. Greg Dearborn says: if so, what was the dogs favorite meal? Though it had been given a new name, the MCI was in essence still the canned C ration of prior years. Hot or room temp, either way I always got a major bought of heart burn shortly after consuming the spiced beef. I did that too but I wondered sometimes if a 7.62 round could ignite it. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Balance food to be heated on bent over lid and can while fire heat main course. A few of the troops didnt like to drink beer. My story is written in letter form with letters to the characters father, to Walter Cronkite and to some other people. A combination my Italian wife would cringe at. Some of the meals werent too bad, especially if somebody from home sent Heinz-57 Sauce or Hot Sauce to doctor them up. I appreciate the education you help to provide and for keeping it real for those like myself who have never had these experiences. Meatballs and beans! one of the better memories of c rats. Well, my friends, let me refresh your memory and tell you everything you need to know but have forgotten about those wonderful meals. It woul heat a bunch of c-rats. Vietnam C Ration Cigarette : Top Picked from our Experts The C-Ration was replaced in 1958 with the Meal Combat Individual (MCI). I wish that cigarettes were never part of those C-rations. Thanks for your interesting accounts, and for your service. In Thailand, sriracha sauce was even better than Tabasco. My favorite meal was SPICED BEEF and GRAVY with crackers and cheese. I have so much respect & admiration for them. In 1968-69 I ate c-rations that were older than I was. Missed the initial one 4 years ago. USMC. 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. My favorite C-ration dish was created as follows: 1.) 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. Fine. As a historian, these are important details as even food technologies change. 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. you have any idea how the mean and beans were made have never found a close substitute for them. Ah! A typical . Less known is that an unlikely snack . When I was in AIT training, I can remember eating the fortified chocolate wafers made at the Wilber Chocolate factory in Lititz, PA. All those you show here was my usual meals at the jungle in Vietnam. Funny story, Buzz. 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. 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. Glad to be on my way back to Goliad, TX so many of my buds were not so lucky. I remember the first c-ration meal we received. ham and turkey loaf and the peanut butter, our c rats came in a white case I remember the date on them then was like 20 years old in 1968, I liked the sterno heater, they were much better warm than cold. Vintage C Ration Accessory Pack, No Cigarettes $8.00 $5.85 shipping or Best Offer Vintage 1971 Vietnam Era Military C Ration Can Fortified Peanut Butter Kern Food $14.44 Was: $16.99 $4.31 shipping Only 1 left! Reproduction WW2 German MP40 Transit Case $350.00 WW2 K Ration Heavy Duty Cardboard Packing Box (10 in 1, K Ration, Heffenreffer Beer.)