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. U.S. Army photo Due to health concerns, cigarettes were eliminated from the accessory packs in 1975. https://charliecompany.org/2012/04/20/c-rations/ Reply With []. Thanks for your interesting accounts, and for your service. The container itself had 2 compartments. Daddys description was not very glowing! He would flatly refuse to eat canned Spam when I was a young girl, saying it reminded him of those C rations! Thank you in advance! Menu. Dec 18, 2011. Original Vietnam era US Military C Ration white plastic Spoon.From C Ration 382314172092. Today still add sugar to store hot ccco mix and eat it. It was a great job. never gave that a thought until now. German military outfitter Bausenwein is offering brand new, reproduction C-rations. Always let the FNGs learn a lesson the hard way. Great article, I was USMC 1966/67 Vietnam. 1967 Vietnam c-rations box being opened for the first time in 43 years. 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. Currahee. Smilesnada but smiles. 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. The Vietnamese will sit for hours with a homemade fishing pole fishing. to a pack. Prayers-Love and GREAT BIG -Thank you to ALL Military personnel (still here or passed) and their families for serving our COUNTRY. Every once in awhile they would send us out real food and some Beer and coke. one of the better memories of c rats. Most used their canteen cups, which nested on the bottom of 1 Qt. There are several websites dedicated to US military combat rations that show all the brands. Wait until they run out of cigarettes and trade them for C-Rats. 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. It would explain a lot of the stupid decisions Ive made over the years. Our squad leader was fairturned all Cs upside down and would mix up..then we would pick..No Fear!! My friend was in Vietnam and loved the pound cake. The K-ration, developed by University of Minnesota physician Ancel Keys, provided three complete and balanced, 3,000-calorie meals in compact packages. when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. My two favorites were green eggs and ham and yes, ham and lima beans. At times we actually had to buy cases of C-rats in Phan Thiet where there was a thriving black market. I was with the 15th Aerial Port Sq 1968-69, Da Nang. Also sometimes we added the sugar, creamer, and coffee park in the coco package adding a little water mixing it up. Silly me ! Since I didnt smoke, the cigarette 5-packs (except Chesterfields, which nobody wanted) came in handy for that. Photo via Wikipedia. [] the bread and voila a toasted cheese sandwich. B9719 VIETNAM ERA US Military C Ration Spoon in plastic bag IR19A - $16.35. 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. from United Kingdom. Never saw anyone eat pound cake without spitting it out. Remember chunks of pork with an inch of grease on top. 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. Thanks for this article and thanks all American officers and soldiers in the field of VN war. Popular products. Excellent, brought back some good memories. For sure peaches were like gold I was one of the few guys who didnt like them and could trade them for almost anything. Ahh, comfort food in the middle of the jungle. Typical commercial brands issued in the cigarette ration were: Camel, Chesterfield, Kent, Kool, Lucky Strike, Marlboro, Pall Mall, Salem, or Winston. made it somehow. C-Ration: Development began in 1938 and was completed between 1941 and 1945. 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. I could not find a meat and beans recipe. You brought back a lot of memories. Missed the initial one 4 years ago. 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. FOR SALE! great footlocker or combat field pack display item. I was the lucky one that LIKED ham and Lima beans! I was in Vietnam with the Marines from 68-69. C-rats. 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. Great articlebrings back many memories of the bad old days. Toward the end of my tour, we began having access to the freeze-dried LRRP meals. Thanks for your service. I miss the guys I hope all are doing well. Tellander Sgt USMC. P-38! Never told 2nd Lts about the hazards of heating an un-opened can. The cigarettes were even contaminated with bugs ! Then mix a bunch of mosquito repellent in about a half of can.use the rest of the peanut better on the very thick (hard tack) crackers!! My dad died in Vietnam in 1965. 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. It would burn hotter and was much better for heating water. I will call and order. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); My c-rations in 1965 that I ate in Vietnam were dated 1945 being 20 years old ! I think the onions were gone in a matter of a few days. When I look at your blog in Opera, it looks fine but Your email address will not be published. so what did you feed your dog in nam? I was barely more than a toddler during the Vietnam war, and am a non- veteran. Did not see mention of toothpick that you chewed one end for toothbrush ( sucked). They learned quickly when the cans exploded and Messed up my airplane said the M/Sgt who was the flight engineer sitting across from the voltage regulators. Cigarettes. Posted March 31, 2018. 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. Your email address will not be published. Canned meals for use in the field. "Peanut butter and crackers was the best," Orbell said. Thank you for your time. Posted by webmaster webmaster has not yet written their Bio. l would buy and eat them today if someone was to make em. I have a few fng stories about Cs. after this became the way of doing it. Any leads would be greatly appreciated! Hi, The 4 meals I remember are 1- chopped ham and eggs 2 beans and wieners 3- ham and lima beans 4- beefsteak and potatoes. Left the nam brought one home should have seen the looks I got. 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. Need Easy, Nutritious Food While Blacktail Deer Hunting. Plate. What is wrong with me? Ive heard so many stories of my fathers childhood in Vietnam; How hed rush out to the roadside and beg American soldiers for their B-Unit snacks, or how he, along with his brothers and cousins, would rummage through the wilderness in hopes of finding c-ration meals, but I was never quite able to picture the things he described in my mind. Loved the article brought back a lot of memories. We had C Rations to eat while in the Pentagon Oct 21st 1967 while the war protest march was going on. Only hot meal was the last morning for chow. 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! I liked the Cs better. Of course it was not their faults, soldiers , at first and second to be fair they needed to go home with their families. This is the food US soldiers ate when deployed in the Vietnam War.. Beef and Rocks, Scrambled Rubber Eggs, Chili, Applesauce, and Shit Disks. When out on missions, infantry units were re-supplied with . Food was of secondary importance. I have so much respect & admiration for them. Open can of peaches with P-38. Abandoned my country, Vietnam, in 1975, but that did not make me hating them. Ive been missing those Olive can food image and its opener tool. noviopera From shop noviopera. Always cigarettes, toilet paper and matches. It was a luck of the draw right after we went through the gas obstacle coarse at basic training. Although the meat item can be eaten cold, it is more palatable when heated. I really enjoyed reading these replies about c-rations and your experiences in Vietnam. 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. 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. They loved hearing how Tabasco Sauce made even C-rats mostly palatable. of my hand did not care about cut hand But mad till this day My dad knows what its called in Vietnamese, but has no clue what it is in English. C rations boxes contained three meals for each of eight men. Brought back lots of memories. 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. 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. Tay Nihn..68 Nui Ba Din. I flew as a Crewchief on a UH-1C Gunship. I was a dog handler in Vietnam 67-68. I think I was one of a few who actually liked ham and Limas. it seemed like that to me :)) , and shredded beef ( per my visual to call it as such) . Doc Shyab. The daily ration of 3 meals provides approximately 3600 calories." There were 4 choices of meat in each B group. They Tried! Back in 1958 while flying the Pacific we had only Cs for flight lunches on aerial Tankers. 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! During the 1960s C-ration cigarettes were identical to the sample packs of four that tobacco salesreps handed out to the public. In 1975 they stopped putting cigarettes in rations which raised hell with US troops everywhere. My dad knew few young kind and handsome American colleagues that I admired and impressed at that time. [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). I had a couple bites but couldnt get the rest down. Water was critical. Thank you for the information on the sauces. Looked for the fruit cans mostly, but some of the other items were tasty too. Thanks Freddy Wright. If somebody liked Lucky Strikes, Parliament, Chesterfields or Pall Malls, they would never run out. 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. Going through a box of memorabilia a couple days ago. My dog would not eat the ham and lima beans. The dehydrated pork and beef hockey pucks were supposed to be the big thing but the dried fruit was the best part. 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. We were the first army division in the first corps at that time. L/Cpl P.T. 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. PHU BAI, CAMP CARROLL, NAM 66/67. c-4 was the best for heating, some 4th inf. Everyones favorite dessert was PEACHES and POUND CAKE. I can't find my links right now, but a little bit of searching should turn them up pretty easily. Chrissy Heres a few of the photos from my page: http://1-22infantry.org/pics4/richard.htm. Only once was stupid enough to eat the WHOLE LRRP ration at onne, swells up pretty big after the water goes down! Might you, or anyone else have an idea? The popular meals and cans of pound cake, peaches and fruit cocktail were prized and worth their weight in gold many soldiers hoarding them to barter for items during evening chow breaks; only one of each are included in every case of meals. (LogOut/ To you and to all the crew chiefs and gunners, from the bottom of my heart, I say thank you. My older sister, younger brother and I could only imagine what those canned meals tasted like. The C-4 was safe to use as long as it wasnt compressed or using too much at one time. Left out the crew chief version of a stove. 2.03M subscribers Subscribe 129K 9.7M views 6 years ago Check out this full review of a Vietnam War MCI or "C Ration"! During the 1960s C-ration cigarettes were identical to the sample packs of four that tobacco salesreps handed out to the public. were dog rations and c rations the same thing? Vietnam War C-Ration Cigarette Pack Lucky Strike Repro Opens in a new window or tab. You are describing a military mess kit, but they were not used by most GIs in Viet Nam. I never went away hungry! 34 watchers I , however, could not find its same taste and flavor in America after 30 years in USA. So the food on a paper the outer layer of clear plastic is starting to delaminate from the brown plastic. "The bread was awful. When I was in AIT training, I can remember eating the fortified chocolate wafers made at the Wilber Chocolate factory in Lititz, PA. You were the unsung heroes of Army aviation. Viet Nam most of 68. 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. If you lucked into the peach can, you could trade it for almost anything. taste of C-rats in 1975 in basic training at Fort Polk La. 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). We had would get rations of beer and soda dropped off often in the jungles. Sold by kragsr4c07 in Great Falls Buy Now! CA. I was with the 173rd Airborne/2ndBn 503rd Infantry. They came sealed in foil . shows storage age and wear and is still sealed. When I had my first taste of LRP Rations I thought it was food for angels. I was a cold war veteran spending my 3 years in Germany, but we were issued them for field trips, alerts and exercises. Ill never eat C-Rations again, but I can remember when I was glad to have them. description of C-Rations used in Vietnam: The small cans included in the meal were ideal for making a stove. Nate Hill, Pres, TAC Tankers Assn. We went through East Germany on the Autobahn to Holiefields in Weat Germany for a training mission. Smoking the local product might fool Mr. Charles. 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. My favorite C-ration dish was created as follows: 1.) Marines were not great cooks, but they were inventive. Stumbled across this interesting site. Once lit it would put out a decent flame..my favorite was spiced beef.but had to be served hot.cold it sucked. Years later I wonder if the paint was lead based? Vietnam Equipment VE-547 Choice Vietnam Jungle Boots, size 12. I remember the first time we got to sample some Cs just after we went threw the gas obstacle back in basic training. Vietnam C Ration Cigarette : Top Picked from our Experts MACTHAI advisor here. In Thailand, sriracha sauce was even better than Tabasco. Thank you for taking the time to write this article. 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. C-Rations are commercially prepared meals, used in the field and at times when hot meals were not available. Almost never saw heat tabs , we called them c tabs they didnt want us to have flames. That was the beginning of the Tet Offensive and the hot meals were few. Each ration was composed of a B-unit and a M-unit; total weight was approximately 7 pounds. 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. We were at the end of the supply line so we ate a lot of C-rations. Today Gover keeps a . Did you see how expensive they are on Ebay? Meatballs and beans! yes i remember . Original was from a formerly unopened original accessory pack. It`s the meal that had the pound cake. Less known is that an unlikely snack . ONE ORIGINAL!! So, I have no military or Nam stories to tell, darn it! Everybody liked Pound Cake, but there was only (1) box per case that had it. Scan of original thanks to Dave Stieghan. Ron Perron Miss those soldiers from our lives deeply. lol guess I was not human. If I admit to actually liking and trading for ham & lima beans, does that imply Im strange beyond? $90 VE-545 Can Opener from the C-Ration Crate. 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. Havent heard that in eons. . I was there during the transition from C-Rats to MREs during the early 80s. I served in Co. B, 1/12th, 1st Air Cav I 1967-68. As a historian, these are important details as even food technologies change. Within shouting distance of us was a huge Marine Mess. Dont have any Cs any more, but still got several P-38s, three still sealed in the brown paper. 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. 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..). Issued as one boxed ration per person per day. Back Cigarettes were bad for your health along with bullets. Enjoy! Some of the guys cannot stand to watch me eat one. Thanks for summing up all the C-ration experiences. No heat tablets before Vietnam. 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. We called it Coco mo. 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. In the field 90% of my tour. Cigarettes were eliminated from rations in 1972. USMC 2/9 DA NANG , DONG HA, The foil pieces are 1.75"x1.75" and 1.75"x6" in size. unopened vietnam c-ration accessory pack with cigarettes. You did what you had to do and made it home to an undeservedly rough reception. I got my first Excellent piece and very true in every respect. Pleasure speaking to you. and "M" (meat) units, each menu contained an accessory packet, fruit, and cigarettes. Other then that, fantastic blog! Always enjoyed the meals when I was out in the field. It was illustrated by Fred Rhoads. Life-saving use of rations! I got out of the field with 12 days left and went to Song Be. This brought back memories from 68-69 in the jungles of the central highlands. It was a common thing to trade C rations for cigarettes. The C-Ration was replaced in 1958 with the Meal Combat Individual (MCI). I know heat tabs were around but c4 burned hot and fast. 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. Welcome back. $50: VE-1123 Vietnam period shoulder bag for machine gun . During the 1960s C-ration cigarettes were identical to the sample packs of four that tobacco salesreps handed out to the public. It smells good, Moak said as he put a handful in his mouth. Once I got some pancakes that had been stuffed down an elephant rubber. . Steve Miller The only thing I miss was the instant coffee with the creamer and sugar. We sometimes ran out of C-rats, especially when we couldnt get resupply because the runway on our LZ was damaged by mortar attacks. 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. | dng sng c. I got pretty good at stealing C4 to cook with , and those LRRP rations . As a Army pilot, I knew this well. 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 had 2 brothers in the military, one in the marines, one in the army. General Delivery Silver Springs Fl.34489 USA Great walk down memory lane. The popular brands like Winston, Marlboro, Kools and Salem were always in short supply and benefited the non-smokers who used them to barter. Best dessert was peaches & pound cake, but you had to trade for stuff. Each soldier was issued three boxes per day containing breakfast, dinner and supper. Nuac mam.gag. 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. Being from MN was my home connection. you have any idea how the mean and beans were made have never found a close substitute for them. My last CO loved them. One case of C-Rations contained 6 rations. The standard ration pack issued to infantrymen in Vietnam was the Australian Combat Ration (One Man). Sir, thank you for your service in Vietnam and for the insightful information you provided in this article. all were palatable, but the peaches were outstanding. A generation full of Peace&Love did not belong in Vietnam ever! Honestly, the scrambled egg chunks or beans and weenies werent bad cold, but the rest needed to be heated in order to be palatable. Turkey packed in 30 weight motor oil was the worst. 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 Semper Fidelis. Anyone able to help me out? Listing is for 1x Pin Badges, please specify the design at checkout or a random ones will be sent out. The Meal, Combat, Individual (MCI) was the name of canned wet combat rations issued by the United States Armed Forces from 1958 to 1980. BTW, I did some shows with Justin Wilson in New Orleans. took the fire extinguisher and use it to get our cokes cold. Well not like from our great restaurants. Forty years later, Henry A. Moak, Jr., still loves his pound cake. 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. 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. Pingback: Feasting on the Frontlines: The Vietnam War Discussing Food History. We used to make stoves by using a can opener to open up the two sides of a small can on both sides (which were then pushed in). It let off a whooshing sound as the pressure seal broke. Not sure how the armor units split their meals. USMC. The new menu (late 1968 onward) included good stuff like beans & weenies. But it was usually raining. Sometimes I auction off a pack of cigarettes and the highest bidder will give me a whole C-Rat meal. When we were operating our radio nets in the outback wilds of Fort Riley, KS, wed put our Pork Slices Ingredients: Click Here for web printable Marlboro Cigarettes from C-Ration Accessory Pack. 2. Mass-2 Marine attached to the 3rd Marine Div. Military C-Ration Peanut Butter Can Unopened Cinderella Foods Inc Dawson Ga $13.00 $17.05 shipping The MCI was intended as a modest improvement over the earlier canned Type C or C ration, with inclusion .