See more ideas about vietnam, vietnam war and army. The ration boxes were shipped in a rectangular cardboard packing case. The accessory pack with each meal was sealed in a foil pouch. The mongol diet was not gourmet, says morris rossabi, a historian and. Its characteristics emphasize utility, flexibility of use, and more.
Nov 10, 2010 fishing with grenades and cooking with c4. With many of our bigger vietnam militaria items aquired we are now focusing on one of the smaller but incredibly important things a marine carried, his food. A brief history of the cration beans and dicks, ham and mofos. Six combinations of components or menu arrangements. The meal, combat, individual is the first ration which has been adopted to meet the new subsistence concept of supplying nutritionally balanced meals rather than rations.
Developed for during world war ii, the c ration was eaten by millions of soldiers and marines when fresh food was unavailable. For instance, the ham and lima beans entree was unpopular, but it remained in the c ration mix until well into the vietnam war. Apr, 2011 i am a disabled vietnam war veteran writing a memoir about my experiences in the war. Desserts consisted of crackers, chocolate, fruit cake, fruit cocktail etc. At first, the meals were stews, and more varieties were added as the war went on. A united states airmans meal, combat, individual ration also called a cration. Under its terms the ration consisted of three cans of b units,m three cans of m or meat units and one accessory pack. Note that the old gold cigarettes and vanilla caramels were not part of the c ration. As an early form of hot food on the go, the c ration paved the way for the modern mre and heatermeals selfheating meals.
Crations were boxed canned meals comprised of various meat, vegetable and assorted desserts. It was reported in the media that each soldier in vietnam had a hot meal each day. Each packing case contained 12 ration cartons containing one of each meal packed in two rows of six rations. It replaces the ration, combat, individual c ration which was used so extensively in world war ii. The cration, or type c ration, was an individual canned, precooked, and prepared wet ration. This is the official quartermasters description of crations used in vietnam. The only time i ever ate local food was when i was in downtown phan thiet on.
C rations were boxed canned meals comprised of various meat, vegetable and assorted desserts. The cration, or type c ration, was a prepared and canned wet combat ration intended to be issued to u. People in rear areas, even some firebases, ate quite well. The c 3 ration was more adequate than the original c ration in respect to its nutritional value. Because there were several vintages of cs issued to the marines in vietnam, more than 4 items may be listed in the b groups as well as the brands of cigarettes included in. Ve624 1970 dated mosquito bar barrier for use with a cot or hammock. Well, my friends, let me refresh your memory and tell you everything you need to know but have forgotten about those wonderful meals. Not home cooked, but hot, fresh meats, fruits, veggies. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Sample c ration menu ca1967 reference notes 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.
A future tabasco ceo, walter mcilhenny, served in the marines during world war ii and found that he and his compatriots also quickly grew tired of their bland cration meals. Combat troops in the bush had, as gene stated, crations. Crats, not just for breakfast lunch and dinner anymore. Crats fueled troops during and after world war ii u. We were still being fed c rations at the beginning of my second vietnam tour, but within a few months we were issued a completely new type of field ration. They used to have cigarettes in rations until 1972. The c3 ration was more adequate than the original c ration in respect to its nutritional value. While out on missions we ate c rations, those wonderful meals in. Life in the early years and crations by doc ron mosbaugh. One machete, one gas mask and an empty ammo can optional to keep his personal items in. In 1958, the meal, combat, individual officially replaced the cration but the old.
The meal, readytoeat commonly known as the mre is a selfcontained, individual field ration in lightweight packaging bought by the united states military for its service members for use in combat or other field conditions where organized food facilities are not available. They were grouped in three menus of four meals each, organized by their bunit b1, b2, and b3. I need a picture of vietnam era c ration contents for this memoir. Ration, individual, combat c 4 milr1504c was developed as a modification of the c 3 ration. Its characteristics emphasize utility, flexibility of use, and more variety of food components than were included in the ration, combat, individual c ration which it replaces. I am a disabled vietnam war veteran writing a memoir about my experiences in the war. Ve650 vietnam sailors life preserver, dated 1963 with belt harness and carry case. Halved apricots, sliced peaches, quartered pears, or fruit cocktail. The world war ii cration heatermeals self heating meals.
The pentagon dubbed the new rations meal, combat, individual. Reproduction military rations post by chowline mon jan 16, 2017 8. Most all the crations were canned between 1938 and 1958. Crations are commercially prepared meals, used in the field and at times when hot meals were not available. Sample cration menu ca1967 reference notes 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. This is the food us soldiers ate when deployed in the vietnam war.
Abovecrew members on a uh1 helicopter deliver crations to soldiers in the field during the vietnam war. If you could send my note to picture owners, maybe they would contact me so i could request their permission to use a picture. All meals and items are listed below the pizza recipe. Military food military life military history military service military weapons military army vietnam war photos vietnam veterans ration. Ok, now that your memory is refreshed, do you remember how you cooked your crations. This is the official quartermasters description of crations used in vietnam the meal, combat, individual, is designed for issue as the tactical situation dictates, either in. Other than salt and pepper the only thing i had to add flavor to my crations was hot sauce. Cration last updated february 20, 2020 a selection of united states military cration cans from world war ii with items displayed. Ilhenny tabasco sauce are taken from cration boxes. 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.
As you can see you have 1 the box your meal came in. The mci was intended as a modest improvement over the earlier canned cration, with inclusion of. While out on missions we ate c rations, those wonderful meals in a can. I need a picture of vietnamera cration contents for this memoir. Mar 27, 2009 crations used in vietnamthe 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. Mcilhenny son of the 2nd company president of mcilhenny company from his experiences with crations as a soldier during wwii came up with the idea to send soldiers copies of the charley ration cookbook. We use cookies to enhance the security, performance, functionality and for analytical and promotional activities. Beans and baby dicks, ham and mofos war is boring medium. Nobody paid attentionsoldiers in the field still called them crations. Vietnam era c rations armchair general and historynet. Although they no longer exist except in the deepest accesses of intestinal tracts of some vietnam veterans having been phased out shortly after the vietnam war, and replaced my mres meals. The item youve selected was not added to your cart. Menthol were five of the brands found in vietnam era field ration packets. The only time i ever ate local food was when i was in downtown phan thiet on a work detail i never got a pass there.
It also contained 4 paperwrapped p38 can openers to open the cans. Because there were several vintages of cs issued to the marines 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. Simple, much like an mre but the meals were in cans. Apr 12, 2014 case of crations, contractors had different meals. Crations used in vietnam this is the official us quartermasters description of crations 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. Other than salt and pepper the only thing i had to add flavor to my c rations was hot sauce. I used so much of it that after my return from vietnam it was over twenty years before i could stand to use it again. The meal, combat, individual mci was the name of canned wet combat rations issued by the.
Because there were several vintages of cs 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. Ration, individual, combat c4 milr1504c was developed as a modification of the c3 ration. Each package had one, and other items from the list below and an accessory package. A can opener called a john wayne or a p38 was needed to open the cans. When out on missions, infantry units were resupplied with food, water, ammunition, clothes and other items by helicopter every three to five days. Airmans meal, combat, individual ration as served in da nang, vietnam, circa 19661967. Early cases were bound with baling wire, but late vietnam war and postwar cases were bound in plastic strapping. The meal, combat, individual, is designed for issue as the tactical. The subsequent cration was an attempt to deliver more nutritionally balanced meals, and they became the soldiers bread and butter for several years to come.
This one here turned out to be in pretty bad shape except the cigarettes. C ration pizza during most of my tour, eight months or 21,168,000 seconds, our staple fare was 1943 packaged c rations until they were replaced by the 1968 series in march of 1969. Crations used in vietnamthe 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. Ration c and adopted the nomenclature ration type c, assembly, packaging and packing. Six combinations of components or menu arrangements were specified to provide variety to the ration. The cration, or type c ration, was a prepared and canned wet combat ration intended to be. Although in that era the only freezedried product we knew was instant coffee, the new ration was a freezedried, dehydrated main meal vacuumpacked in a lightweight plastic bag. Each packing case contained 12 ration cartons containing one of each meal packed in 2 rows of 6 rations. The charlie ration cookbook or how to eat well in a foxhole during the vietnam war brig. The individual, canned, precooked meals were issued to u. Crations commercially prepared meals were used in the field and at times when hot meals were not available. This is the official quartermasters description of crations 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. A united states airmans meal, combat, individual ration as served in da nang, vietnam, circa 19661967.
The c ration, or type c ration, was an individual canned, precooked, and prepared wet ration. Thirteen basic meals were the total number of menu choices in the 1943 series. The daily ration of 3 meals provides approximately 3600 calories. My thirteen month vietnam tour lasted from 1966 thru 1967, which made the food we were eating over twenty years old.
Each meal was in its own cardboard box, which contained the individual items sealed in cans. Cases of crations are assigned and split among a squad of. The iconic green cans were far from home cooking, but they did sustain a fighting man when he was far from homeor at least the mess halluntil 1981, when they were replaced by the meal ready to eat, or mre. For instance, the ham and lima beans entree was unpopular, but it remained in the cration mix until well into the vietnam war. In 1954, the c 4 ration was developed as a modification of the c 3 ration, and was called ration, combat, individual. Relished and reviled, crations fed millions of troops in the field.
It included the issue of two 6ounce 170 g cans of fruit for 2 meals to replace the one 12ounce 340 g can issued for one meal in the c 3 ration. A lot of the marines complained about the food, but it was better than nothing. See a 50 year old cration get opened, parts get eaten, cigarettes get smoked. Mar 19, 2010 the daily ration of 3 meals provides approximately 3600 calories. Troops, there were two major types of rations during the world war ii. Each complete meal contains approximately 1200 calories. Crations the first happy meal charlie troop 1st squadron. As an infantry soldier in vietnam, crations was my sole source of nourishment for at least 300 of the 365 days i served incountry. The mre replaced the canned mci or meal, combat, individual rations in 1981 and is the intended successor to the. C combat rations has been the staple of the american soldier from wwii through vietnam. The iconic green cans were far from home cooking, but they did sustain a.
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