At times we actually had to buy cases of C-rats in Phan Thiet where there was a thriving black market. 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. I just put the pound cake into one of my scenes. [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). Pingback: Remember C-Rations? Great articlebrings back many memories of the bad old days. I was a helicopter crew chief in 1967 with the 25th Infantry out of Cu Chi. This is the official 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. Patrick Douglas Erb was there from Oct.20,1970-March 15,1971. If you lucked into the peach can, you could trade it for almost anything. always seemed to get to to the carton last an last was trash eating. 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. about fruit cocktail. Well, with aSTOVEyou made, right? Using a John Wayne (a P-38) pierce a series of closely spaced holes around the top and bottom rims of the can. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! (LogOut/ Excellent, brought back some good memories. I was always thankful that there was a medic around after I ate the Spiced Beef. 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. Kindest regards. I was there during the transition from C-Rats to MREs during the early 80s. But it was usually raining. Yes they did in WWI, WWII and right up to Vietnam. [] the bread and voila a toasted cheese sandwich. A can opener (called both a John Wayne or a P-38) was needed to open the cans. I always made it in a c rat can. It was illustrated by Fred Rhoads. C-packs also contained cartons of Cigaretts, M&Ms and other favorites, I did that too but I wondered sometimes if a 7.62 round could ignite it. Other then that, fantastic blog! If I admit to actually liking and trading for ham & lima beans, does that imply Im strange beyond? George Newport dynamite and dirt merchant Combat Engineer. Enjoy! Dec 18, 2011. And in spite of all their faults, I do sometimes miss C-Rats, especially the Pound Cake! Dont have any Cs any more, but still got several P-38s, three still sealed in the brown paper. The ham and eggs were inedible. Helicopter Pilot. Three? 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. Posted March 31, 2018. Each soldier was issued three boxes per day containing breakfast, dinner and supper. Took me back,soldier. Great detail Great Job from an old army Grunt. Open can of peaches with P-38. 1 empty C-Ration box 1 toilet paper pack 1 book of matches 1 plastic spoon 1 P-38 can opener Open all 5 cans with the P-38 leaving the lids slightly attached on 2 biscuit cans. Never ate either one of these meals while in country. Vietnam Era C-Ration Cigarette Pack www.hardscrabblefarm.com The photo above shows the components of the cigarette pack. HI ED- nam 69-70- remember c-rats well. On rare occasions when allowed piled stones put tab in middle for stove. I had 2 brothers in the military, one in the marines, one in the army. got there 170 pounds left at a 110 pounds. Love the pound cake especially if you saved the fruit cocktail and ate them together. So I gave my last Cs to a Boy Scout Troop and switched to freeze-dried packets (civilian version of MREs) . A must have item for your helmet display, uniform or gear. We sometimes ran out of C-rats, especially when we couldnt get resupply because the runway on our LZ was damaged by mortar attacks. Then there was the white worms in red sauce. Used to put them on the voltage regulators to heat. and "M" (meat) units, each menu contained an accessory packet, fruit, and cigarettes. 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. Interesting article but a really dumb question? Move away from the Chopper and light with matches from C-rat. C-Rations varied considerably through their 20 plus year service. Usually the coffee, sugar and creamer had to be worked over with a bayonet pommel to reconstitute it into powder. Brings back a lot of memories. Some of the guys cannot stand to watch me eat one. Thanksgiving and Christmas 1967 saw one beer per guy allotted to the troops. Agree pound cake slice it mix choc sugar creamer make icing. Toilet paper and mosquito juice in band on our steel pot to keep them dry. or Best Offer +C $14.58 shipping. C-rations featured options that included a variety of entrees, like spaghetti and meatballs, turkey loaf, ham and eggs, etc. I liked the Cs better. Semper fi !! the cigarettes are sold as a 50 year old collectible and are not intended for consumption. 1 for 5 5 for 20 20 for 40 Keep an . VE-1226 Cigarette case from the 67TH TAC Recon Wing. Sometimes I auction off a pack of cigarettes and the highest bidder will give me a whole C-Rat meal. I came from Landisville PA in Lancaster County that was only 12 miles from Lititz. ago. We had c-rats (MCIs) in basic and in Germany on FTX until about 83, then we got MREs over there. Heres a few of the photos from my page: http://1-22infantry.org/pics4/richard.htm. C-rations and m-60 mechine gun and GOD are what got me through tough times . We just sold out all of our products in February 2018 except for this hot sauce,which we are going to sell as private label. C-Rations are commercially prepared meals, used in the field and at times when hot meals were not available. In the aviation community wed take a can of biscuits, poke holes in it, pour some JP4 into it, and voila a stove!! 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. 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. (Obviously some supply sergeant made himself a bunch of money.) Required fields are marked *. 4.) In Thailand, sriracha sauce was even better than Tabasco. Well, my friends, let me refresh your memory and tell you everything you need to know but have forgotten about those wonderful meals. 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. Thought it was really good. Sorry 11Bs I always took my favorite out first. Only once was stupid enough to eat the WHOLE LRRP ration at onne, swells up pretty big after the water goes down! I always enjoyed the pears and it went great with the pound cake. I served in Co. B, 1/12th, 1st Air Cav I 1967-68. Matches The suggestion of including matches was done at the same time as the inclusion of the cigarettes. We had C Rations to eat while in the Pentagon Oct 21st 1967 while the war protest march was going on. In and around Quang Tri with side trips to Hue, Khe San & Dong Ha. Dont forget to stir before putting over fire. We had would get rations of beer and soda dropped off often in the jungles. Nate Hill, Pres, TAC Tankers Assn. As an infantry unit our year was pretty much the same as yours. Found four P38s still in the brown paper wrapping that I brought back from Nam in Dec. 72. It was reported in the media that each soldier in Vietnam had a hot meal each day. We were supplied by air drops and you ran to the pallet to get the best c ration unit. Less known is that an unlikely snack . Original was from a formerly unopened original accessory pack. Development began in 1938 with the . You could buy cases of beer and soda too. Those wonderful recipes that you made up so the Cs were more palatable. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. All individual empty cans and trash were buried prior to leaving the table unless he had another use for one of the cans. 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. Mostly they were awful but I was lucky. great footlocker or combat field pack display item. noviopera From shop noviopera. The section on C-rations brought waves of memories of those days. Really putrid stuff, For anyone who was there I was with VF213 flying Demons, flying hydraulic leaks! Stand tall and thank you for your service. About C-Rations. 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. USA & International; Australia; Canada; France; Germany; Italy; This is the food US soldiers ate when deployed in the Vietnam War.. Vietnam (1961-75) Collectibles; Militaria; Vietnam (1961-75) Original Period Items; Other Vietnam War Orig. A combination my Italian wife would cringe at. Good article. Just askin, BTW: I grew up in New Orleans and knew many of the McIlhenny family. 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). Always enjoyed the meals when I was out in the field. I would save my fruit and pond cake and trad for their rations of beer. Not to bad either! My favorite C-ration dish was created as follows: 1.) The dilemma here is that water is required for these and at almost three pounds per quart; the extra weight is a consideration. Packages of 20 cigarettes each are the same as the regular civilian packs and were sold in US Army operated PX stores. Pall Mall, Luckies, Winston, Salem and Benson & Hedges Menthol were five of the brands found in Vietnam era field ration packets. , Just looking at a can of Ham and MFers makes me wanna puke. They were the best canned peaches Ive ever had. Gentlemen, I was wondering if you ever ate at a local shack/stall in town or did you ever go fishing? Used extensively during World War II. wished Id known that neat way of PBJ. I thank each of you for all you have done and all the countless sacrifices you made. 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. Back As a historian, these are important details as even food technologies change. We would either just add sugar pack and eat. Military explosives? Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response. The small cans included in the meal were ideal for making a stove. 1967 Vietnam c-rations box being opened for the first time in 43 years. Listing is for 1x Pin Badges, please specify the design at checkout or a random ones will be sent out. Using a John Wayne (a P-38) pierce a series of closely spaced holes around the top and bottom rims of the can. yes i remember . 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. Vietnam War Pin Badge Reproductions. "The bread was awful. My story is written in letter form with letters to the characters father, to Walter Cronkite and to some other people. For the new guys flying for the first time, we never let them know how to do it. I appreciate the education you help to provide and for keeping it real for those like myself who have never had these experiences. A couple of days later our friend David called and told us that there was a problem with the sauce. I remember the first c-ration meal we received. Ah! USMC 2/9 DA NANG , DONG HA, Find great deals on eBay for c rations cigarettes. Blocks of c 4 began to be available, this spared claymores. https://charliecompany.org/2012/04/20/c-rations/ Reply With []. Pingback: A brief history of coffee in the US military, Your website really help me and my grandson doing a paper on me. I have an entire case of unopened C rations from 1969 for sale on Ebay right now. shows storage age and wear and is still sealed. Message me for more detailed photos and orders in bulk. Funny story, Buzz. and more. Id buy several cases in an instant. Our company left San Diego with a Navy Band giving us Marines a memorable send off. At An Khe and Bong Son. Spent almost 2 yrs in Northern I corps. When we shut down to eat we would use our really long pliers to hold the meal as the ship was running down. 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. Today still add sugar to store hot ccco mix and eat it. To you and to all the crew chiefs and gunners, from the bottom of my heart, I say thank you. Click Here for web printable Marlboro Cigarettes from C-Ration Accessory Pack. I think I was one of a few who actually liked ham and Limas. Only down fall was it was instant heart burn. 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. I cannot tell you how happy I am to have stumbled across your post! Very interesting. It tasted like the congealed fat from a canned ham. He vowed to hang on to it until the day he retired, storing it in a box with other mementos. With the water pouring down on us. PHU BAI, CAMP CARROLL, NAM 66/67. Opening a claymore , take a ball of c 4, light it The cigarettes were even contaminated with bugs ! My dad died in Vietnam in 1965. Cigarettes disappeared from rations in 1975, but their legacy was a . I always wanted or traded for boned chicken or turkey, because if I remember correctly they were made in Saint James MN. Beans an winnies the best.ham and eggs always green no way I would eat it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It got to taste good warm after you got used to it. 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. I ate C rats in Korea in 1960-61, and in Vietnam 65-66. after this became the way of doing it. But themilitarydiscourages eating from old rations. I was with the 15th Aerial Port Sq 1968-69, Da Nang. Missed the initial one 4 years ago. Also read a lot about their c-rat experiences too. Dear Chrissy, Excellent !! During the monsoon season or in areas with rivers and streams, this is a moot point as water is plentiful! Really love your stories. 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. U.S.A.F. 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 were eliminated from rations in 1972. Saved the coke for when we would be by the tanks or APCs. The C-ration (officially Field Ration . Vietnam Us Army Usgi C Ration Boxes Sold by militarydepotga in Woodstock Buy Now! Ill never eat C-Rations again, but I can remember when I was glad to have them. 2nd tour, NO problem, LOACH pilot and home every night if I didnt get shot down! Items; Share. The 10-in-1 Ration included packages with 10 cigarettes each. The brands I remember are: Marlboro, Winston, Camel, Pall Mall, Old Gold, Raleigh, Salem, Kool, Chesterfield, Newport & Lucky Strike . You did what you had to do and made it home to an undeservedly rough reception. 1966-67 P-38! Always cigarettes, toilet paper and matches. 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. from United Kingdom. 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. 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 ! My friend was in Vietnam and loved the pound cake. We got Cs from both the old menu (1950s and early 1960s) which included such delectable stuff as ham & mothers, beef & rocks, canned bread and so forth. Moak got the drab olive can as a Marine helicopter pilot off the Vietnamese coast in 1973. 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. Semper Fi. Hey, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues. Shop with confidence. It was just what I needed. 1st tour grunt recon, etc. I found that these meals are easy and quick to prepare and they rehydrate []. Reblogged this on Cherries A Vietnam War Novel and commented: Heres a blast from the pasta favorite article by visitors posted over 4 yrs. vet 69-73 does any one have a recipe for meat and beans? fruit cocktail about to down it and a 60mm blasted my can out I do recall being thirsty. "Peanut butter and crackers was the best," Orbell said. A plastic spoon. Crash fire. 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. So many times I got something other that ham & Lima so I made out in the bargain department. You, and all veterans have my utmost respect and admiration. We would get a hot meal maybe onced a month. DONT HOW THEY PRESEVERED THEM BUT THEY DID A GOOG JOB TSGT CLARENCE C WOODY USAF. when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. This brought back memories from 68-69 in the jungles of the central highlands. As I remember our C rats were marked 1941 &42. A typical . It was such a shock to my system that I had diarrhea for a week! Gen. Walter S. McIlhenny. Corporal. Old Marine. That was when I had the idea to start my own sauce company. We called it Coco mo. Steve Miller Vietnam Equipment VE-547 Choice Vietnam Jungle Boots, size 12. Ron Perron You can live a long time on just water, so I do not recall being hungry. 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 was an infantry radio operator with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, located in the Hiep Duc. 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 $45: VE-1225 Vietnam Boxed lock and keys. I liked ham and limas. I had a couple bites but couldnt get the rest down. I was an US ARMY Veterinary food inspector from 1967 to 1987. (Ham and eggs) they were the worst. And at 75 years old, thats a blessing. Tasted like TNT from the powder charge. 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..). So, I have no military or Nam stories to tell, darn it! The first and last time I ate that meal. Potable water ( without iodine tablets mixed) was difficult to obtain in the field. Bill McD I carry my P38 that i had in Vietnam on my keychain. Abovecrew members on a UH-1 helicopter deliver C-rations to soldiers in the field during the Vietnam War. Greg Dearborn says: In the field 90% of my tour. 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. Thank you for taking the time to write this article. Cs provided a good snack during night-time flight line work. 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. If somebody liked Lucky Strikes, Parliament, Chesterfields or Pall Malls, they would never run out. Yes of course the C-Rations survived the bears. Check my other listings for different quantities. THEY WERE STILL GOOD. 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. The Food Service Officer (Canadian Major) thought she got a deal on them. ate a lot as a kid . crispy critters burn victims CS 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. 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! He would flatly refuse to eat canned Spam when I was a young girl, saying it reminded him of those C rations! I do! $100.00 Vintage Complete Sealed Vintage Complete Sealed Vietnam Era Us C Rations Accessory Packet Wspoon Vintage Complete Sealed Vietnam Era Us C Rations Accessory Packet Wspoon. Ad vertisement from shop noviopera. . $40 : VE-1124 Mortar carrier's shoulder pads, to support the metal barrel. It consisted of three meals sealed in a plastic bag together with items such as a can opener/spoon, matches, toilet paper, etc. C Ration Cigarettes (1 - 3 of 3 results) Price ($) Any price Under $25 $25 to $100 $100 to $250 . The K-ration, developed by University of Minnesota physician Ancel Keys, provided three complete and balanced, 3,000-calorie meals in compact packages. My dad knows what its called in Vietnamese, but has no clue what it is in English. The accessory pack with each meal was sealed in a foil pouch. 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. Elements of a United States Military Meal, Combat, Individual ration, as served in Da Nang, South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, 1966 or 1967. Original Vietnam era US Military C Ration white plastic Spoon.From C Ration 382314172092. 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. Never know when you may have to open a can of crackers! If I remember correctly, we used heating tablets in our stove to heat a can of whatever (no ham and lima beans for me) well I guess that qualifies as a hot meal. Thanks for your interesting accounts, and for your service. Typical commercial brands issued in the cigarette rations in Vietnam were: Camel, Chesterfield, Kent, Kool, Lucky Strike, Marlboro, Pall Mall, Salem, or Winston. I was with the First Air Cavalry, (67-68) when we moved the whole division from An Khe to what eventually became Camp Evans, (we called it Tombstone, because we were camping in a Vietnamese cemetery) The first brigade of the 101st Airborne was under the operational control of the Cav at that time. This is the official 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. My last CO loved them. Medevac. And how did those taste? I always wanted to be in the military but because I about cut my foot off as a kid, I could not get in. Semper Fidelis. Not sure how the armor units split their meals. 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. so what did you feed your dog in nam? God bless you and I hope that this note finds you well, Sir. Free Sample first six chapters of Cherries both Written and Audiobook, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran, Feasting on the Frontlines: The Vietnam War Discussing Food History, A brief history of coffee in the US military | We Are The Mighty, A brief history of coffee in the US military.