Each ration was composed of a B-unit and a M-unit; total weight was approximately 7 pounds. the military mess kit also comes with a military fork, knife and spoon. 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..). Voilatoasted cheese sandwich. In Vietnam I was with Regional and Popular Force troops in Rung Sat Special Due to health concerns, cigarettes were eliminated from the accessory packs in 1975. Message me for more detailed photos and orders in bulk. Looked for the fruit cans mostly, but some of the other items were tasty too. A whole heat tab had to be used. My father was in the Korean War and war in Vietnam, near the end of his 20 year military service in the US Army. Its even a little moist, he said, wiping his mouth. When were cigarettes removed from C rations? It smells good, Moak said as he put a handful in his mouth. 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. This establishment made Beans and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce shipping thousands of cases a month out. 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. Brings back a lot of memories. You, and all veterans have my utmost respect and admiration. After a short naval round almost blew us away, I smoked too many of those Lucky Strike four packs and suffer today as a result. c-4 was the best for heating, some 4th inf. The military teaches you to be a thief . THEY WERE STILL GOOD. If you lucked into the peach can, you could trade it for almost anything. It was intended to be issued to U.S. military land forces when fresh food (A-ration) or packaged unprepared food (B-Ration) prepared in mess halls or field kitchens was impractical or not available, and when a survival ration (K-ration or D-ration) was insufficient. C-Rations used in Vietnam This is the official US 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. And at 75 years old, thats a blessing. After a formal retirement ceremony, dozens of friends and relatives joined Moak in the Pentagons Hall of Heroes as he opened the can to cheers. Zone (450 sq miles of mangrove). Required fields are marked *. All individual empty cans and trash were buried prior to leaving the table unless he had another use for one of the cans. . I could not find a meat and beans recipe. Philip Morris K Ration Cigarette Pack, WWII Repro $ 4.00; Repro 1942 Lucky Strike Green Cigarette Pack $ 12.00; 1941 Repro Lucky Strike Cigarette Pack $ 12.00; Half and Half Tobacco Box, Repro $ 5.00; Zippo 1941 Black Crackle Lighter Reproduction $ 34.00; WWII Old Gold Cigarette K Ration Pack Found four P38s still in the brown paper wrapping that I brought back from Nam in Dec. 72. I remember that there were no hot meals and you learned the hard way what each unit in the box contained. A must have item for your helmet display, uniform or gear. 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. Packages of 20 cigarettes each are the same as the regular civilian packs and were sold in US Army operated PX stores. Staf Sargent Larry Bailey. In 1966 during the Vietnam war Brig. Very well written and important for us who did not serve due to age ( too young) to learn about this, Excellent; Where can I buy this rations ?I like this food too much. I would start out with a half gallon portable bladder and it was gone by afternoon. Less known is that an unlikely snack . 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 Vietnamese will sit for hours with a homemade fishing pole fishing. I got my first The C-4 was safe to use as long as it wasnt compressed or using too much at one time. 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 Funny story, Buzz. The next thing I got was the MREs. Ive often wondered since who made those peaches and if their product is still available. Right? Gentlemen, I was wondering if you ever ate at a local shack/stall in town or did you ever go fishing? It does take one way back. 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. The Meal, Combat, Individual ( MCI) was a United States military ration of canned and preserved food, issued from 1958 to 1980. Dont have any Cs any more, but still got several P-38s, three still sealed in the brown paper. A stove was usually carried in the back pack or cargo pocket and used repeatedly until the metal began to fail. Free delivery for many products! I was on Google looking up information on c-rat socks as this is a new term that I just learned and that is how I arrived here. 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. Open can of peaches with P-38. Spent almost 2 yrs in Northern I corps. Nuac mam.gag. Old Marine. It was a luck of the draw right after we went through the gas obstacle coarse at basic training. Thanks again. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. 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. Would turn to soup. Hi, I do remember about a week after I was out in the field we received a case of onions by mistake. 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). About C-Rations. Hats off to all of you guys! I was always thankful that there was a medic around after I ate the Spiced Beef. Most used their canteen cups, which nested on the bottom of 1 Qt. In the fall of this year I will be in a paramedic program. Nov 16, 2013 at 2338hrs, Being an MACV Advisor C-rations always tasted good when ever we had a chance to beg some. [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). He vowed to hang on to it until the day he retired, storing it in a box with other mementos. That was like eating the congealed fat from a canned ham. 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. Never told 2nd Lts about the hazards of heating an un-opened can. Other then that, fantastic blog! I ate C rats in Korea in 1960-61, and in Vietnam 65-66. It was illustrated by Fred Rhoads. Ive read some books by Vietnam vets and it was also mentioned how to use a c-rat can for the m60. 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 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. The Armycolonelpopped open an old military C Ration can of pound cake from 1969 at his retirement ceremony, and dug in. In 1925, the meat ration was replaced with canned pork and beans. Vietnam War C-Ration Cigarette Pack Lucky Strike Repro Opens in a new window or tab. Sir, thank you for your service in Vietnam and for the insightful information you provided in this article. 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. We had to heat them on the engine block of a truck or the exhaust grill of a tank. I was a crechief on Hueys who resupplied you guys. Close to Mom!s chocolate cookie mix before she put on the cooking ban to bake. The "Honcho Club". 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). Due to health concerns, cigarettes were eliminated from the MCI 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. The ham and eggs were inedible. The C-Ration, or Type C ration, was an individual canned, pre-cooked, and prepared wet ration. Not to bad either! Silly me ! I also still have my P-38. My dad knows what its called in Vietnamese, but has no clue what it is in English. Just askin, BTW: I grew up in New Orleans and knew many of the McIlhenny family. 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. The local food in Thailand deserves its stellar reputation. Helicopter Pilot. Three of us hailed a cab & that older gent stopped & bought us a six pack. I flew as a Crewchief on a UH-1C Gunship. 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. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VINTAGE VEITNAM ERA MILITARY " C" RATIONS PACK OF CIGARETTES UNOPENED at the best online prices at eBay! I will call and order. Well, my friends, let me refresh your memory and tell you everything you need to know but have forgotten about those wonderful meals. You brought back a lot of memories. I appreciate the education you help to provide and for keeping it real for those like myself who have never had these experiences. Anyone able to help me out? 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. 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. 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. Fine. Your email address will not be published. When I first got to Vietnam and was assigned to an infantry battalion in the field, I started eating Cs three meals per day. I know heat tabs were around but c4 burned hot and fast. Pleasure speaking to you. Vietnam Us Army Usgi C Ration Boxes Sold by militarydepotga in Woodstock Buy Now! Reblogged this on Cherries A Vietnam War Novel and commented: Heres a blast from the pasta favorite article by visitors posted over 4 yrs. 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. I ate a years worth 199LIB 11b20 September 69 September 70. New Reproduction C-Rations Available. Some of the meals werent too bad, especially if somebody from home sent Heinz-57 Sauce or Hot Sauce to doctor them up. We would either just add sugar pack and eat. 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. Some of the guys cannot stand to watch me eat one. Thank you in advance! Great. 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 ! (Obviously some supply sergeant made himself a bunch of money.) I have so much respect & admiration for them. Use the removed lid to cut 4 thin slices from the biscuit, toss the unused biscuits. Last time I tried to replace my Cs the price had gone out of sight. I came from Landisville PA in Lancaster County that was only 12 miles from Lititz. Cigarettes were eliminated from rations in 1972. Cigarettes disappeared from rations in 1975, but their legacy was a . The 10-in-1 Ration included packages with 10 cigarettes each. 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. Im also interested in the mail service during this time period. noviopera From shop noviopera. Hi mates, good paragraph and fastidious urging commented here, I am genuinely enjoying by these. Gen. Walter S. McIlhenny. To eating our faithful C rations. Living in Florida, for years I kept a couple of cases of Cs on hand as part of my hurricane supplies. 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. In the aviation community wed take a can of biscuits, poke holes in it, pour some JP4 into it, and voila a stove!! In 1966 during the Vietnam war Brig. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all of these posted messages about C rations, even though Ive never tasted even one bite of food from one of those cans. Hey, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues. In an effort to keep things fair, Ive witnessed squad leaders dumping cases of C-Rations upside down (hiding the name of the meal) and mixing them up to give everyone an equal chance of selecting a popular meal. The blue heat tabs emitted a gas that would burn your eyes and c-4 was harder to locate for us. I liked ham and limas. 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. Interesting article but a really dumb question? They came sealed in foil . It would swell up and we wood take it away from the exhaust port until it went back to its original size. Im writing a book which is fiction loosely based on my real experience for ages 10-14. It replaced the earlier C-ration, which it was so similar to . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Cigarettes were bad for your health along with bullets. I am a VA RN and a volunteer wildland firefighter / EMT-B. While there me and a buddy were starved one night so we go to the helicopter pad and find loads of empty cases of c rats, we start searching after about 10 minutes my buddy finds a can, lights up his zippo and with his southern twang says Michael, I cant hardly believe someone left a can of ham and M F ers behind. or four? Original was from a formerly unopened original accessory pack. Since I didnt smoke, the cigarette 5-packs (except Chesterfields, which nobody wanted) came in handy for that. The dilemma here is that water is required for these and at almost three pounds per quart; the extra weight is a consideration. What do you think? (LogOut/ I want to thank all the men and women who served in Vietnam. My last CO also liked them. Abovecrew members on a UH-1 helicopter deliver C-rations to soldiers in the field during the Vietnam War. My favorite meal was SPICED BEEF and GRAVY with crackers and cheese. I think I was one of a few who actually liked ham and Limas. There was also a separate "tobacco . 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. it seemed like that to me :)) , and shredded beef ( per my visual to call it as such) . Using a John Wayne (a P-38) pierce a series of closely spaced holes around the top and bottom rims of the can. It tasted like the congealed fat from a canned ham. 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. Toward the end of my tour, we began having access to the freeze-dried LRRP meals. Each menu contained approximately 1200 calories and consisted of: One canned meat course One canned fruit or cake 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. But, Nuac mam still sucks ass! Explore Vietnam C Ration Cigarette with all the useful information below including suggestions, reviews, top brands, and related recipes,. It? It`s the meal that had the pound cake. A better stove was created by simply using the can opener end of a church key (a flat metal device designed to open soft drink and beer containers with a bottle opener on one end and can opener on the other commonly used before the invention of the pull tab and screw-off bottle top) to puncture triangular holes around the top and bottom rims of the can which resulted in a hotter fire and much less fumes. I thought that smoking American cigarettes was a big mistake. Returned 13 months later via Tiger airlines to a civilian air port in LA & greeted by a lot of people flipping the bird at us. Give me pears or apricots any time. Medevac. and heat a canteen cup of water and it provided you with quick hot water or c rations. Issued as one boxed ration per person per day. The Army also sends out a Sundries Pack or SP for each platoon, containing writing paper, envelopes, blue ink pens, foot powder, toothbrushes and paste, chewing gum, m&ms, Hershey bars, Almond Joy, Mounds, Three Musketeers, Snickers and assorted cartons of cigarettes providing us with many of the simple articles that helped make life a little easier. 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. FOR SALE! $40 : VE-1124 Mortar carrier's shoulder pads, to support the metal barrel. Ad vertisement from shop noviopera. I get a lot of the cans of fruit cake. It would explain a lot of the stupid decisions Ive made over the years. took the fire extinguisher and use it to get our cokes cold. Matches The suggestion of including matches was done at the same time as the inclusion of the cigarettes. "Peanut butter and crackers was the best," Orbell said. And one day I plan on working as a flight RN / EMT-P as well as continuing to either work or volunteer as a firefighter. . Pall Mall, Luckies, Winston, Salem and Benson & Hedges Menthol were five of the brands found in Vietnam era field ration packets. When we were operating our radio nets in the outback wilds of Fort Riley, KS, wed put our I was in Vietnam with the Marines from 68-69. The only thing I miss was the instant coffee with the creamer and sugar. 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. Today Gover keeps a . Moak said he wasnt worried about getting sick from any bacteria that may have gotten into the old can, because it looked sealed. The Meal, Combat, Individual (MCI) was the name of canned wet combat rations issued by the United States Armed Forces from 1958 to 1980, when it was replaced by the Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE). Those wonderful recipes that you made up so the Cs were more palatable. Click Here for web printable Vietnam Boarding Pass. God bless you and I hope that this note finds you well, Sir. My favorite was, Ham & Eggs Chopped. C-rations featured options that included a variety of entrees, like spaghetti and meatballs, turkey loaf, ham and eggs, etc. For sure peaches were like gold I was one of the few guys who didnt like them and could trade them for almost anything. $100 VE-546 Choice Vietnam Jungle Boots, size 12. Sounds like a lot of B S to me. They loved hearing how Tabasco Sauce made even C-rats mostly palatable. Missed the initial one 4 years ago. Everyone like cake after that. I got a flashback Ill never forget those days Sometimes I would eat the pineapples, bananas or coconuts if I could get them. Moak joked earlier this week that he hoped the can wouldnt explode. The MCI was intended as a modest improvement over the earlier canned Type C or C ration, with inclusion . I can't find my links right now, but a little bit of searching should turn them up pretty easily. Loved the lerps when we could get them. Ha, ha! We would do the same process one more time and it would be ready to eat after you wiped it down to get as much black exhaust crap off and open it with your P38. The foil pieces are 1.75"x1.75" and 1.75"x6" in size. I do! Really love your stories. When I was in there were four: apricots, pears, fruit cocktail and peaches. Excellent piece and very true in every respect. canteens inside a canvas or nylon cover attached to web gear or ruck sacks, or the actual cans that C rations were canned. Put 1 slice on the bottom of the 2 cans with attached lids. 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. Very interesting. I was a helicopter crew chief in 1967 with the 25th Infantry out of Cu Chi. We had c-rats (MCIs) in basic and in Germany on FTX until about 83, then we got MREs over there.
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