Smoking the local product might fool Mr. Charles. Sometimes I auction off a pack of cigarettes and the highest bidder will give me a whole C-Rat meal. The local food in Thailand deserves its stellar reputation. Ahh, comfort food in the middle of the jungle. from United Kingdom. I would start out with a half gallon portable bladder and it was gone by afternoon. 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. Yes they did in WWI, WWII and right up to Vietnam. I really enjoyed Meat balls & beans. Smoking in the services came under attack in the 1980s. 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. got there 170 pounds left at a 110 pounds. The small cans included in the meal were ideal for making a stove. Vietnam Era C-Ration Cigarette Pack www.hardscrabblefarm.com The photo above shows the components of the cigarette pack. Many boxes of C's had WWII dates, but the smokers still smoked the cigarettes from those old boxes. My Vietnamese would give me a rice ball, or a cooked and salted ballof chicken, or some fish with Nuoc Maum sometimes I carried a can of chili when I could get it at the PX in Saigon. . During the 1960s C-ration cigarettes were identical to the sample packs of four that tobacco salesreps handed out to the public. 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. C-rations and m-60 mechine gun and GOD are what got me through tough times . View history. I know heat tabs were around but c4 burned hot and fast. I think the onions were gone in a matter of a few days. Great article, I was USMC 1966/67 Vietnam. Packages of 20 cigarettes each are the same as the regular civilian packs and were sold in US Army operated PX stores. But I read as much as I can get my hands on about what it was like to have served in those times. So the food on a paper 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. The MCI was intended as a modest improvement over the earlier canned Type C or C ration, with inclusion . 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. We always had plenty of rice. Anything a dog wont eat should not be consumed by a human. 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. Nov 16, 2013 at 2338hrs, Being an MACV Advisor C-rations always tasted good when ever we had a chance to beg some. We had c-rats (MCIs) in basic and in Germany on FTX until about 83, then we got MREs over there. Always let the FNGs learn a lesson the hard way. . Original Vietnam era US Military C Ration white plastic Spoon.From C Ration 382314172092. , Just looking at a can of Ham and MFers makes me wanna puke. Potable water ( without iodine tablets mixed) was difficult to obtain in the field. Great articlebrings back many memories of the bad old days. 1960s US GI Vietnam era C-Ration PLASTIC SPOON Brand New $14.95 klink-one (11,878) 99.9% Buy It Now Free shipping 125 sold Sponsored Vintage Vietnam era unopened Combat C Rations B1 B2 B3 Unit Crackers & Candy Brand New $45.00 southern-surplus2016 (1,355) 100% or Best Offer crispy critters burn victims CS 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 always made it in a c rat can. You, and all veterans have my utmost respect and admiration. Less known is that an unlikely snack . ago. Tastes just like it always did, Mikolashek mumbled with a mouthful of cake as Moak laughed and clapped. Life-saving use of rations! Twelve different menus are included in the specification. Broight back some memories for me from my year in the bush. I really enjoyed reading these replies about c-rations and your experiences in Vietnam. The Vietnamese will sit for hours with a homemade fishing pole fishing. My dog would not eat the ham and lima beans. Need Easy, Nutritious Food While Blacktail Deer Hunting. Pork Slices Ingredients: Reunion 2006 Grand Lakes O The Cherokees,OK, Audie Murphy Presidential Medal ofFreedom, https://charliecompany.org/2012/04/20/c-rations/, http://1-22infantry.org/pics4/richard.htm, Army C Rations: 21 Cool Facts - Citizen Soldier Resource Center. My dad knew few young kind and handsome American colleagues that I admired and impressed at that time. C-rations featured options that included a variety of entrees, like spaghetti and meatballs, turkey loaf, ham and eggs, etc. Vietnam (1961-75) Collectibles; Militaria; Vietnam (1961-75) Original Period Items; Other Vietnam War Orig. I was a helicopter crew chief in 1967 with the 25th Infantry out of Cu Chi. My two favorites were green eggs and ham and yes, ham and lima beans. Agree pound cake slice it mix choc sugar creamer make icing. Since your audience is mostly nam vets, Id guess ALL OF THEM remember c-rats. of my hand did not care about cut hand But mad till this day Must have been super hot. It would swell up and we wood take it away from the exhaust port until it went back to its original size. C-packs also contained cartons of Cigaretts, M&Ms and other favorites, the cigarettes are sold as a 50 year old collectible and are not intended for consumption. I delivered beer to you guys. A strictly utilitarian use of C-rations for crew chiefs and gunners on our D model Hueys was to replace the M-60 feed chute with a can of Cs. My father was in the Korean War and war in Vietnam, near the end of his 20 year military service in the US Army. Vietnam C Ration Cigarette : Top Picked from our Experts . C-Ration: Development began in 1938 and was completed between 1941 and 1945. We took them camping, my sister wanted corn dogs, which the bears ate as they passed thru our camp. Never saw anyone eat pound cake without spitting it out. All individual empty cans and trash were buried prior to leaving the table unless he had another use for one of the cans. Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response. I miss the guys I hope all are doing well. 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. Ive often wondered since who made those peaches and if their product is still available. 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. The brands I remember are: Marlboro, Winston, Camel, Pall Mall, Old Gold, Raleigh, Salem, Kool, Chesterfield, Newport & Lucky Strike . Welcome Home my brothers & Sisters. l would buy and eat them today if someone was to make em. t004. The coffee, sugar, creamer and hot cocoa came in paper envelopes. 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. Man do I remember C rations. Shop with confidence. I wanted to see the reality of what the soldiers had to endure. 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. Three? $100 VE-546 Choice Vietnam Jungle Boots, size 12. So I gave my last Cs to a Boy Scout Troop and switched to freeze-dried packets (civilian version of MREs) . The dilemma here is that water is required for these and at almost three pounds per quart; the extra weight is a consideration. I liked the Cs better. I was there during the transition from C-Rats to MREs during the early 80s. It let off a whooshing sound as the pressure seal broke. He vowed to hang on to it until the day he retired, storing it in a box with other mementos. Back you have any idea how the mean and beans were made have never found a close substitute for them. 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. Scan of original thanks to Dave Stieghan. $40 . Id get an onion from FSB mess tent and chop them up into whatever meat I was eating, thank god LURPs became widely available for the 2nd half of my tour because I just couldnt stomach Cs other than the fruit. lol guess I was not human. The dream of being a SEAL, US Marine, PJ, Delta, Recon, and the like is still very much alive within me to this day. Great site thanks for the memories. 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. Thanks Freddy Wright. I would have beer almost every day. It was just what I needed. The line units were pulled out of the field on occasion, usually about once a month for three days, to enjoy home cooking, barbecues and ice-cold beer and soda a reward we always looked forward to. never gave that a thought until now. You don't want soldiers in war zones endangering their health! It was such a shock to my system that I had diarrhea for a week! Saved the coke for when we would be by the tanks or APCs. As the Doughboys went to France, the ration changed. He jokingly staggered back a few feet and loudly cleared his throat, while one person yelled out, Eeww, gross!. Im writing a book which is fiction loosely based on my real experience for ages 10-14. As a Army pilot, I knew this well. They are not any where near as sensitive as civilian explosives. These reminiscences take me back. So, I have no military or Nam stories to tell, darn it! WWII US Army Marine Corps K- Ration inner wax box ration Dinner ad vertisement by noviopera. It was a great job. Thank you for your time. The section on C-rations brought waves of memories of those days. On the rare occasion when we got a fresh bag lunch sandwich some kinda fruit and a couple boiled eggs it was egg salad time what a treet. Trying to spread the word to potentially interested people. Due to health concerns, cigarettes were eliminated from the accessory packs in 1975. "Peanut butter and crackers was the best," Orbell said. Patrick Douglas Erb was there from Oct.20,1970-March 15,1971. Canned meals for use in the field. Smith Bravo Co. 2nd Plt 1st Bn 1st Mar Rgt 1st Mar Div, Old memories 2.03M subscribers Subscribe 129K 9.7M views 6 years ago Check out this full review of a Vietnam War MCI or "C Ration"! It's one of the most celebrated feats of World War II: On June 6, 1944, more than 160,000 troops stormed the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day invasion . The brothers always would trade for Menthols. Vietnam Us Army Usgi C Ration Boxes Sold by militarydepotga in Woodstock Buy Now! We already carried 4 5 quart canteens to keep hydrated until the next resupply. They loved hearing how Tabasco Sauce made even C-rats mostly palatable. Listing is for 1x Pin Badges, please specify the design at checkout or a random ones will be sent out. Semper Fi. The container itself had 2 compartments. Tellander Sgt USMC. Typical commercial brands issued in the cigarette rations in Vietnam were: Camel, Chesterfield, Kent, Kool, Lucky Strike, Marlboro, Pall Mall, Salem, . 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. Ah! The standard ration pack issued to infantrymen in Vietnam was the Australian Combat Ration (One Man). (LogOut/ Anyone able to help me out? Hey me too other good ones were Beans and Balls Beans and Dicks Beef and Potato couldnt eat the egg thing spaghetti could not be cooked in the can, it would just rise up as a blob, cold top and burned bottom Ive got peaches, whos got the pound cake, I saved my ham & lima beans until we returned to the rear, then put the on the stove, boiling hot with a little hot sauce made me happy, Wow, how did we survive. 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. Military explosives? I wanted to see more of his brave journey. Never heard of that version before. Today Gover keeps a . 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. | dng sng c. You could take a rats head off at 20 feet with them. 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..). 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). TM 21 1965. Put 1 slice on the bottom of the 2 cans with attached lids. We sometimes ran out of C-rats, especially when we couldnt get resupply because the runway on our LZ was damaged by mortar attacks. 2. Toward the end of my tour, we began having access to the freeze-dried LRRP meals. Mass-2 Marine attached to the 3rd Marine Div. When absolutely necessary, Id empty the water and spoon in a can of cheese, melting it together with a ball of C-4. 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. Marvin J. Wolf, author of Abandoned In Hell, The Fight for Vietnams Firebase Kate.. George Newport dynamite and dirt merchant Combat Engineer. Due to health concerns, cigarettes were eliminated from the MCI accessory packs in 1975. Who could ever forget about C-Rations? 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. Four can openers are provided in each case of 12 meals. Food was of secondary importance. I dont recall eating many of the meals warm. 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. We burned and buried the last ones in the system in1986 in the Sinai desert. Semper Fidelis. 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. in Nam and why I dont like fruit cocktail to this day.In the last part of my tour, it was pecan roll and coffee. Moak said he wasnt worried about getting sick from any bacteria that may have gotten into the old can, because it looked sealed. I just put the pound cake into one of my scenes. The 10-in-1 Ration included packages with 10 cigarettes each. The absolute worst, in my opinion, was the ham & eggs, chopped. Used extensively during World War II. Close to Mom!s chocolate cookie mix before she put on the cooking ban to bake. vet 69-73 does any one have a recipe for meat and beans? It tasted like delicious warm and moist cake fresh from the bakery. Each ration was composed of a B-unit and a M-unit; total weight was approximately 7 pounds. Everyone I knew always had a John Wayne (P-38) can opener on his dogtag chain and a plastic spoon in his pocket. Vietnam C Rations and Stuff Cigarette Coupons Free Printable Free Coupons By Mail Newport Cigarettes Nostalgia Marlboro Cigarette Vintage Metal Signs Okinawa American History Vietnam War - included in each C-Ration; great for batering if a non-smoker Military Life Military History Military Food Veterans United Military Signs Military Ranks The ham and eggs were inedible. about fruit cocktail. Within shouting distance of us was a huge Marine Mess. 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. 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! During World War II, C-Rations included a cigarette packet of nine cigarettes. That went for Officers and enlisted men. I know, stupid MF but what the heck, its just ham. Levine named the threats as mold and deadly botulism if the sealing on the food has been broken, which isnt always visible. What I have here are various types of B units from year . If I admit to actually liking and trading for ham & lima beans, does that imply Im strange beyond? I was an infantry radio operator with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, located in the Hiep Duc. The last two I couldn`t eat and they found botulism in the beans and I almost starved . Very interesting. noviopera From shop noviopera. Ahh, comfort food in the middle of the jungle. 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. 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. 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. When we were operating our radio nets in the outback wilds of Fort Riley, KS, wed put our Bill McD 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. Welcome back. Right? $45: VE-1225 Vietnam Boxed lock and keys. Might you, or anyone else have an idea? The daily ration of 3 meals provides approximately 3600 calories., 1 Beef w/Spiced Sauce, Halved Apricots, Peanut Butter, B-1 Unit crackers, candy, 2 Tuna Fish, Quartered Pears, Peanut Butter, B-1 Unit crackers, candy, 3 Ham and Eggs, Chopped, Quartered Pears, Peanut Butter, B-1 Unit crackers, candy, 4 Pork, Sliced, Cooked with Juices, Halved Apricots, Peanut Butter, B-1 Unit crackers, candy, 5 Beans w/Frankfurter Chunks in Tomato Sauce, Blackberry Jam, Fruitcake, B-2 Unit crackers, cocoa beverage powder, 6 Beef Slices and Potatoes w/Gravy, Pineapple Jam, Orange Nut Roll, B-2 Unit crackers, cocoa beverage powder, 7 Spaghetti w/Beef Chunks in Sauce, Peach Jam, Cinnamon Nut Roll, B-2 Unit crackers, cocoa beverage powder, 8 Beans w/Meat Balls in Tomato Sauce, Grape Jam, Pound Cake, B-2 Unit crackers, cocoa beverage powder, 9 Beefsteak, Sliced Peaches, Cheese Spread, Cheddar Plain, B-3 Unit crackers, candy, 10 Chicken or Turkey Boned, Cheese Spread, Cheddar Plain, Fruit Cocktail, B-3 Unit crackers, candy, 11 Ham Sliced, Cooked with Juices, Cheese Spread, Cheddar Plain, Fruit Cocktail, B-3 Unit crackers, candy, 12 Turkey Loaf, Cheese Spread, Cheddar Plain, Sliced Peaches, B-3 Unit crackers, candy. 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. My older sister, younger brother and I could only imagine what those canned meals tasted like. Meals such as beef stew, spaghetti and meatballs, chili and others were a wonderful diversion from the mundane canned food we were subjected to. Use the removed lid to cut 4 thin slices from the biscuit, toss the unused biscuits. The one in the marines was stationed in ChuLai. This establishment made Beans and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce shipping thousands of cases a month out. canteens inside a canvas or nylon cover attached to web gear or ruck sacks, or the actual cans that C rations were canned. The C-Ration was replaced in 1958 with the Meal Combat Individual (MCI). 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. I can't find my links right now, but a little bit of searching should turn them up pretty easily. it seemed like that to me :)) , and shredded beef ( per my visual to call it as such) . God bless you all. The foil pieces are 1.75"x1.75" and 1.75"x6" in size. They have the following menus: Ham & Eggs Ingredients: 82.5% whole egg, 9.3% of pork, onion, herbs, spices, salt, E250, E621, E300/E301, dextrose. Dont have any Cs any more, but still got several P-38s, three still sealed in the brown paper. When I look at your blog in Opera, it looks fine but I have the greatest respect for the grunts they did it with ingenuity and a lot of common sense. 2.) Going through a box of memorabilia a couple days ago. Voilatoasted cheese sandwich. It was a luck of the draw right after we went through the gas obstacle coarse at basic training. Remember c rats well . Find great deals on eBay for c rations cigarettes. $50: VE-1123 Vietnam period shoulder bag for machine gun . 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. 1st tour grunt recon, etc. The blue heat tabs emitted a gas that would burn your eyes and c-4 was harder to locate for us. Best dessert was peaches & pound cake, but you had to trade for stuff. Your email address will not be published. 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. C-rations combat rations. In Thailand, sriracha sauce was even better than Tabasco. Cigarettes, once considered crucial to American fighting men, have sadly gone the way of the daily rum ration. Service. Beef and Rocks, Scrambled Rubber Eggs, Chili, Applesauce, and Shit Disks. It tasted like the congealed fat from a canned ham. The military teaches you to be a thief . But themilitarydiscourages eating from old rations. Pall Mall, Luckies, Winston, Salem and Benson & Hedges Menthol were five of the brands found in Vietnam era field ration packets. The dehydrated pork and beef hockey pucks were supposed to be the big thing but the dried fruit was the best part. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vintage K Brand Rabbit Family Ration Patch Logo Snapback Trucker Hat Cap USA at the best online prices at eBay! In 1975 they stopped putting cigarettes in rations which raised hell with US troops everywhere. 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. Kevin. Usually the coffee, sugar and creamer had to be worked over with a bayonet pommel to reconstitute it into powder. We never had cold meals. Elements of a United States Military Meal, Combat, Individual ration, as served in Da Nang, South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, 1966 or 1967. Nate Hill, Pres, TAC Tankers Assn. Cigarettes were bad for your health along with bullets. 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. We were supplied by air drops and you ran to the pallet to get the best c ration unit. I destroyed my taste buds eating my Moms cooking. Being from MN was my home connection. $40 : VE-1124 Mortar carrier's shoulder pads, to support the metal barrel. Today still add sugar to store hot ccco mix and eat it. always seemed to get to to the carton last an last was trash eating. 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. I carry my P38 that i had in Vietnam on my keychain. A whole heat tab had to be used. Thanks again. I remember that there were no hot meals and you learned the hard way what each unit in the box contained. That was the beginning of the Tet Offensive and the hot meals were few. All those you show here was my usual meals at the jungle in Vietnam. The 1st Inf Div was not allowed beer in the field due to some previous incident. I got to Vietnam in July 1967. Gen. Walter S. McIlhenny son of the 2nd company president of McIlhenny Company from his experiences with C-Rations as a soldier during WWII came up with the idea to send soldiers copies of the Charlie Ration Cookbook filled with recipes for spicing up C-rations with Tabasco Pepper Sauce wrapped around two-ounce bottles of Tabasco Pepper Sauce along with a handful of a P-38 type can openers all in a waterproof canister. Cs provided a good snack during night-time flight line work.