I cant be the only one that likes MRE

[Shooter McGavin]

It sounds like they have come a long way with the menu from when I was in. How many remember the dehydrated beef and pork patties that would not hydrate. Yeah you will be telling your age. The beef stew and beans and franks wasn't bad,

I fucking hated the dehydrated meat and pork. I don’t remember them calling it beef, lol. I just remembered meat. I always got stuck with those. Also, I never ever had a chance to rehydrate them.

The barbecue meatballs weren’t bad. I liked the John Wayne bar, the dog biscuit covered with fake chocolate. My favorite part of the MRE (meals rejected by Ethiopians) was the Tabasco sauce.

 

[EddieNFL]

Turn up your hearing aid ol man, you need us kids to walk you though modern technology.

I'll have you know I use a Bluetooth chronograph.

 

[gopherslayer]

Throw the wheat bread in a puddle and see if it absorbs water. It doesn’t. We did an experiment in the shop to see what it would do and it certainly wouldn’t absorb water.

 

[Jaron3]

Thanks, I'll settle for a nice porterhouse, about 30 ounces... cooked Pittsburgh rare with asparagus and twice baked potato.

If the SHTF... I wlil substitute vegans.

MRE's... only if I have to.

That said, still way better than C-rats.

Sirhr

Living in the Pittsburgh area all my life please tell me what “”Pittsburgh Rare” means. Never heard that term before. Enlighten me because it may just be a normal steak to me. Haha.

 

[lonegunman762x51]

I fucking hated the dehydrated meat and pork. I don’t remember them calling it beef, lol. I just remembered meat. I always got stuck with those. Also, I never ever had a chance to rehydrate them.

The barbecue meatballs weren’t bad. I liked the John Wayne bar, the dog biscuit covered with fake chocolate. My favorite part of the MRE (meals rejected by Ethiopians) was the Tabasco sauce.View attachment 8017886

This is the best dessert ever, I bet it is still good 20 years later.

 

[acudaowner]

fake banana pudding with vanilla wafers leave the wafers to soak in the pudding over night chill in fridge or leave out either way it's nothing short of heaven if you like it works with vanilla , or chocolate and butter scotch just as good .

 

[Gary/CO]

I think they're OK and it certainly beats starving, but it wouldn't be my first choice for a meal.

 

[Foul Mike]

I have read this thread with great interest and I must say I have had a MRE or 6 or more when out hunting or camping or the juice went out but while I was in the Army I tried some of the old K-rations that the guys before us left but the Lifers wanted to get rid of and they were great. 4 star shit there.
All of you who had to suffer through these MREs should recieve a medal or something for your sacrifice.
During my 11months and a few days tour in the Cav in RVN 69-70, we had wonderful Box Lunches or freeze-dried LRRP rations when they were just starting to figure out how to do the freeze-dry thing, every day, when in the bushes and bamboo. Once in a while we got hot Rats in mermite cans out in the bush on Log day if it was secure, but other than that, if you were in the forward LZ you could stop by the mess tent for some Good Eats too. Those cooks tried really hard to make it with what they had and my hat is off to them.
You guys had to put up with very limited choices where we that were pushing the bush had 12 C-Rat meals to choose from and they didn't vary all the time I was there, I am sure many more than you had and all of ours were at least canned goods so we had the advantage over you as to weight, right?
The LRRP rations, I don't remember all of the menus, were wonderful, heat up a canteen cup full of water and dump it in the pouch and wrap it up in your ponch liner, put it in your ruck and hump for 1/2 hour and it was ready, unless it had beans or peas in it and those never soaked up to the point they were not like biting on a rock.
You guys had to suffer through those horrible heaters where you had to pour some water in there to warm your chow up and we had it all over you in that respect as we each carried a little stove made from yesterdays B-2 can and put in a heat tab or a bit of C4 and light that up. That heated up your water for your LRRP ration or the entree of your box lunch. The only problem was the heat tab fumes were toxic as Hell and had a horrible smell and C4 put out a lot of light and you didn't want Chuck to know where you were so lots of tropical ambient temperature heated rations for us.
No doubt in my mind that you MRE eaters had it tougher than we did.
BTW Is a DEFAC anything close to a mess tent and did they have floors in them or did you put them up out in the mud and throw a few pallets down to walk on?
Boomer 6

 

[Huskydriver]

I have read this thread with great interest and I must say I have had a MRE or 6 or more when out hunting or camping or the juice went out but while I was in the Army I tried some of the old K-rations that the guys before us left but the Lifers wanted to get rid of and they were great. 4 star shit there.
All of you who had to suffer through these MREs should recieve a medal or something for your sacrifice.
During my 11months and a few days tour in the Cav in RVN 69-70, we had wonderful Box Lunches or freeze-dried LRRP rations when they were just starting to figure out how to do the freeze-dry thing, every day, when in the bushes and bamboo. Once in a while we got hot Rats in mermite cans out in the bush on Log day if it was secure, but other than that, if you were in the forward LZ you could stop by the mess tent for some Good Eats too. Those cooks tried really hard to make it with what they had and my hat is off to them.
You guys had to put up with very limited choices where we that were pushing the bush had 12 C-Rat meals to choose from and they didn't vary all the time I was there, I am sure many more than you had and all of ours were at least canned goods so we had the advantage over you as to weight, right?
The LRRP rations, I don't remember all of the menus, were wonderful, heat up a canteen cup full of water and dump it in the pouch and wrap it up in your ponch liner, put it in your ruck and hump for 1/2 hour and it was ready, unless it had beans or peas in it and those never soaked up to the point they were not like biting on a rock.
You guys had to suffer through those horrible heaters where you had to pour some water in there to warm your chow up and we had it all over you in that respect as we each carried a little stove made from yesterdays B-2 can and put in a heat tab or a bit of C4 and light that up. That heated up your water for your LRRP ration or the entree of your box lunch. The only problem was the heat tab fumes were toxic as Hell and had a horrible smell and C4 put out a lot of light and you didn't want Chuck to know where you were so lots of tropical ambient temperature heated rations for us.
No doubt in my mind that you MRE eaters had it tougher than we did.
BTW Is a DEFAC anything close to a mess tent and did they have floors in them or did you put them up out in the mud and throw a few pallets down to walk on?
Boomer 6

Defac is the garrison dining facility on a base not anything deployed.

We were still using mess tents in the field when I got out in 2013 cant say I ever saw a pallet floor.

 

[roostercogburn98]

Living in the Pittsburgh area all my life please tell me what “”Pittsburgh Rare” means. Never heard that term before. Enlighten me because it may just be a normal steak to me. Haha.

I’d wager to guess it is close to blue rare for a steak?

 

[K470]

I fucking hated the dehydrated meat and pork. I don’t remember them calling it beef, lol. I just remembered meat. I always got stuck with those. Also, I never ever had a chance to rehydrate them.

The barbecue meatballs weren’t bad. I liked the John Wayne bar, the dog biscuit covered with fake chocolate. My favorite part of the MRE (meals rejected by Ethiopians) was the Tabasco sauce.View attachment 8017886

I loved these things. If I remember right that chocolate covering wouldn't melt unless is was in the 90's.

The dehydrated fruit wasn't bad if you had water.

There was some kind of chocolate nut cake thing that wasn't too bad also.

The tabasco helped but I carried a bottle of Frank's with me when I could.

 

[MK20]

I have read this thread with great interest and I must say I have had a MRE or 6 or more when out hunting or camping or the juice went out but while I was in the Army I tried some of the old K-rations that the guys before us left but the Lifers wanted to get rid of and they were great. 4 star shit there.
All of you who had to suffer through these MREs should recieve a medal or something for your sacrifice.
During my 11months and a few days tour in the Cav in RVN 69-70, we had wonderful Box Lunches or freeze-dried LRRP rations when they were just starting to figure out how to do the freeze-dry thing, every day, when in the bushes and bamboo. Once in a while we got hot Rats in mermite cans out in the bush on Log day if it was secure, but other than that, if you were in the forward LZ you could stop by the mess tent for some Good Eats too. Those cooks tried really hard to make it with what they had and my hat is off to them.
You guys had to put up with very limited choices where we that were pushing the bush had 12 C-Rat meals to choose from and they didn't vary all the time I was there, I am sure many more than you had and all of ours were at least canned goods so we had the advantage over you as to weight, right?
The LRRP rations, I don't remember all of the menus, were wonderful, heat up a canteen cup full of water and dump it in the pouch and wrap it up in your ponch liner, put it in your ruck and hump for 1/2 hour and it was ready, unless it had beans or peas in it and those never soaked up to the point they were not like biting on a rock.
You guys had to suffer through those horrible heaters where you had to pour some water in there to warm your chow up and we had it all over you in that respect as we each carried a little stove made from yesterdays B-2 can and put in a heat tab or a bit of C4 and light that up. That heated up your water for your LRRP ration or the entree of your box lunch. The only problem was the heat tab fumes were toxic as Hell and had a horrible smell and C4 put out a lot of light and you didn't want Chuck to know where you were so lots of tropical ambient temperature heated rations for us.
No doubt in my mind that you MRE eaters had it tougher than we did.
BTW Is a DEFAC anything close to a mess tent and did they have floors in them or did you put them up out in the mud and throw a few pallets down to walk on?
Boomer 6

I seem to sense some sarcasm.

I would eat K rats any day over an MRE. C rats would be even better. Less new fangled preservatives in them and that is what actually fucks you up.

I know as I ate group MREs for 6 months. And I was at the end of the supply chain for literally the whole deployed world. They stopped sending us half our food because some of it went bad once on the 2 month long line haul to get it to us.

Right before I rotated in country my team ate "shrimp scampi" for lunch and dinner 70 days straight because that is all they sent us. And "shrimp scampi" consists of rehydrated bow tie noodles smothered in straight oil, no seasoning, and a few of those mini dehydrated shrimp like you get in a Ramen cup. It was abominable.

When I came back from Africa it took me 8 years to get my stomach back to full health.

I would happily carry heavier canned rations that don't fuck up a decade of my health.

 

[Foul Mike]

No, I am serious, we had over you guys. Cs got boring, wish there was a change up in there. The same 12 all the time.
Our guts were fucked up a lot from the water and parasites and the Monday malaria shit pills.
I have had all the MREs I will ever need.

 

[schmi015]

Don't eat MRE's there is PFAS in them and they don't know where its coming from, basically poisoning you by eating them. This has been buried in the past couple NDAA's as they've allocated funding to get rid of it. With respect to the ban on PFAS in MREs, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (S. 1790), which became a public law on December 20, 2019 (P.L. No. 116-92), prohibits the use of PFAS in food packaging for military meals ready-to-eat (MREs) after October 1, 2021

 

[MK20]

What is PFAS?

 

[Maser]

Families all over my hometown fell for the Y2K nonsense and had tons of MREs. Personally, I liked playing with the sodium heaters more than eating the actual food. From what I remember, the beef stew or the meatloaf was actually really good.

 

[jrassy]

C-rats peaches, fruit cocktail, ham and eggs and the cigarettes started many a fight. Pound cake too, cold spaghetti was even ok. i Can’t remember them all but there was one that most avoided like the plague. Some guys were C-rat chefs in the field, very creative, or at least I thought so as we were all 18- 20 yr olds.

 

[Diesel65]

Frankfurters, those little potato sticks, and Tabasco, mixed together, with beans if you could get em. That was the meal.

 

[schmi015]

What is PFAS?

PFAS stands for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a large group of human-made chemicals that are ubiquitous in manufacturing. These compounds are everywhere: inside our homes, lining the packaging of our food, woven into the clothing we wear. PFAS exposure has been linked to multiple cancers and other health concerns, including decreased fertility and immune dysfunction. Some of the highest concentrations of PFAS chemicals in the country have been found at and around military bases, in large part because of the military’s longtime reliance on the firefighting foam AFFF — PFAS are active ingredients.

‘It’s scary as hell’ — PFAS exposure a ‘widespread’ problem for troops, families nationwide

Some of the highest concentrations of PFAS chemicals in the country have been found at and around military bases.

www.militarytimes.com

https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-08/emerging-issues-in-food-waste-management-persistent-chemical-contaminants.pdf

 

[MarinePMI]

I fucking hated the dehydrated meat and pork. I don’t remember them calling it beef, lol. I just remembered meat. I always got stuck with those. Also, I never ever had a chance to rehydrate them.

The barbecue meatballs weren’t bad. I liked the John Wayne bar, the dog biscuit covered with fake chocolate. My favorite part of the MRE (meals rejected by Ethiopians) was the Tabasco sauce.View attachment 8017886

I believe it was "Beef, Patty, dehydrated". Same for that fucking pork patty. Not to be bested by the "Beef Slice, processed, chunked and formed".

Those early Gen1 MRE's were complete shit. No heaters, no hot sauce. The only one I even had a remote like for, was Turkey, diced with gravy. When I could heat it up, it was pretty good when a packet of cheese spread was added, along with crumbled up crackers.

The rest were ass. "Meatballs in spicey tomato sauce" looked (and tasted) like Alpo dogfood. And the "Ground beef, with spicy tomato sauce" looked like diarrhea in a bag. The British Commandos we (USMC) deployed with, couldn't believe how bad our rations were. We ended up eating a lot of British Squad rations (field stripped into our packs), German and Dutch individual rations and what not, whenever we could trade for them.

Today they aren't too bad; at least there's more than 12 meals. Spaghetti and Ravioli were my favorites.

We lived off those same 12 shitty meal options for four months once (unless we could steal T-rats from the Army/USAF supply depots, which we'd just heat up over a fire). Fucking hated those things.

Anyone remember the MRE cookbooks that that the tabasco company (McIlheny's?) released during the 1st Gulf War? Had Beetle Bailey graphics and listed what to mix with what (grape jelly and meatballs comes to mind)...

 

[abn31c]

Gen 1 Ham and Chicken loaf...I ate em, still wonder who thought that was a good idea. The meatball thing was fukin disgusting, you couldn't make a shittier product if you tried.

 

[Foul Mike]

As to the C-Rats, my favorite was turkey loaf. I hated ham and lima beans, AKA ham and motherfuckers, and beef with potato slices, AKA beef and shapnel.
Ham and eggs was OK with lots of salt. Spaghetti was OK but you had to know to put a small piece of hollow bamboo in the can clear to the bottom so it could vent before using a heat tab under it or the heat would push the whole contents of the can up and out and you lost it all.
B-2 units were great, cheese and crackers, plain, hickory smoke and pimento as I remember and pound cake, cinammon nut roll, and other gross shit.
We had LRRP rations that were freeze dried and chicken and rice or beef and rice and spaghetti were OK but anthing labeled stew or chili con carne sucked as they had beans or peas in them and no matter how long you let them set after you poured in boiling water the peas or beans were like small rocks.
Water was always a problem for us be it treated water that was flown out to us or filling canteens in the bush where we found it and putting in purirying tabs, there were a lot of unknown chemicals in it and it tasted like shit. If you left the tabs out you got worms or leeches in your guts and pre sweetened Koolaid sent from home was always at a premiun.
As to heatng water or cans, we used an empty B-2 can with holes punched in it with a "church key" and either a heat tab or a small ball of C-4 and C-4 made things happen quick. The fumes off of both made it where you didn't do it in a hole or bunker and C-4 burned so bright that it could be seen for a long ways so was always done with caution. We ate a lot of ambient temp rations in the bush and as hot as it was over there you couldn't call them cold.
What little I have done with MRE heaters, I think they would have been worthless to us over there but are a good idea. You MRE eaters, I think you had it over us as to the beverage powders you had as all we had was cocoa powder and small packets of coffee and creamer.
LRRP rations were easier to hump, they don't clank together and are much lighter, we used wool socks to put our Cs in and hoped for the best.
You really haven't lived until you have set someplace and used your Zippo lighter to get rid of the leeches while enjoying the delightful taste and texture of a Hersey's Tropical Choclate bar from a SP.
Those fuckers were like eating parafine, it never melted in your mouth or in your hand but can be melted in a pan and used to seal jam and jelly jars or so I have been told.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Born in 1946, I actually got to eat C-3's in the 1960's.

"Type C-3 ration (1951–1953)
In 1951, a new C-3 menu for the Type C-Ration was introduced. The C-3 ration was composed of the same five menus of the C-2, but offered greater variety. In addition to new and improved “B” (bread) and “M” (meat) units, each menu contained an accessory packet, fruit, and cigarettes. The ration was very heavy, weighing 5 lbs. 8.5 oz. [2.5 kg.], and was packed in 8 small cans in a cardboard box. There were 6 daily ration boxes per cardboard case.

• Three “M” (meat) components, which offered 10 different varieties of meat entrées.
  • Chopped Eggs and Ham
  • Pork and Beans
  • Meat Chunks and Beans
• Three “B” (bread) components consisting of:
  • B-1: a unit of 5 crackers, a packet of soluble coffee, a packet of powdered milk, a packet of granulated sugar, a cocoa disc, and a 1.5 oz (43 g) tin of jam.
  • B-2: a unit of 5 crackers, a packet of soluble coffee, a packet of powdered milk, a packet of granulated sugar, 1 cookie sandwich, and 1 chocolate fudge disc.
  • B-3: a unit of 5 crackers, a packet of soluble coffee, a packet of powdered milk, a packet of granulated sugar, 2 cookie sandwiches, and a 1.5 oz (43 g) tin of jam.
  • B-4: a unit of pre-mixed and compressed cereal.
• One 12 oz (340 g) can of fruit.
• One sundries can containing the accessory packet (chewing gum, toilet paper, a P-38 can opener, granulated salt, and a flat wooden spoon) and the cigarette packet (one 9-pack of cigarettes and a book of matches).

Field cooking equipment was not required for the preparation of this ration. The C-3 ration was more adequate than the original C-Ration in respect to its nutritional value."



This was prior to my own Military USMC service (in the Scouts, don't ask), but by the time I was actually serving (early 1966) they had been depleted and were no longer available. I missed them.

...And yes, I've eaten a lot of MRE's (again, in the Scouts, don't ask) after my service. I enjoyed most (some would give SHIT!!! a bad name... Thai Chicken, for instance...) and they did indeed bind up my works...

Having eaten the several types I mentioned, I would clearly prefer the C ration, or especially the C-3 over the MRE, despite the added bulk and weight involved. I've even tried finagling a Poor Man's Charlie Rat, but nothing I came up with could compare favorably.

Combat Rations have been maligned by their consumers for many, many years. But get into the thick of things, and they can quickly turn into that small part of a shitty day that reminds one fondly of home. I lost my foodie inhibitions right quick during the elections in late 1967 when the NVA had our chow hall zeroed in at Qua Viet and Charlie Rats were the only show in town. I miss them to this day.

Greg

PS, as a Corporal of the Guard on the Northern Perimeter (11th Engr, 9th Motor T, and 12th Marines Arty HQ Sectors) of Dong Ha in early 1967, I got to distribute the Charlie Rats and then go back and collect the unused items. I loved the 'Ham and Mothers' and got all I could eat. I would also fix up one or more monster canteen cups of Mocha from the leftover coffee/cocoa fixin's strong enough to walk across and would spend the rest of the night positively wired wide awake. Field expedience at its best... Yee Hah, MoFo!

 

[Son of Dorn]

Maple Sausage was a lie.

We never found anyone who had actually seen one.

Kind of like a Mitt Romney voter.

You've found someone who's actually owned a Maple Sausage MRE. Friend of a cousin gave it to me for some reason or another. I never opened nor ate it, forgot about it, and threw it out a few months ago when I found it again because it had finally expired and I wasn't brave enough to open it.

But the package 100% said Maple Sausage on it. What it actually was or tasted like, we'll never know.

 

[Foul Mike]

Thankfully I never endured the shit Greg talks about. Marines always get what is handed down from other branches.
We had the same basic 12 meals of C rations and while they kept us going, for the most part they were some pretty shitty food.
The biggest problem for us was that it was the same old shit 12 meals and you can only come up with so many ways to do it.
The MRE eaters had their problems and we C-rat eaters had ours.
Our Cs were heavy and hard to pack and never varied.
Our LRRP rations were just when they were trying freeze dried shit and sucked but were easy to carry but required water and that was heavy.
Those heaters with MREs are a good idea but don't work for cans near as I can tell.
Peanut butter, cheese, jam, in a pack as opposed to in a can would have been nice as well as beverage powders other tha cocoa if they were something like Gatorade.
B-1 A and B-3 units where everything was all in 1 can and everything tasted like some foreign substance kind of like chocolate really sucked other than the coconut discs and fudge discs.
The B-2 units with Pound cake, Cinnamon nut roll, Fruit cake, and Date Pudding all by them selves in 1 can really rocked. No contamination from the chocolate discs in there. You were really in Fat City if you found a can of fruit from some where to go with them.
There were goods and bads in all of them and many years separated them all.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Also occasionally sent out to the field were Supplemental Sundries Packages.

The RATION SUPPLEMENT SUNDRIES PACK was provided to troops who did not have access to a Post Exchange outlet. The Sundries Pack was a regular issue item to the troopers of Bravo Company and was considered as the "front line post exchange". It consists of a tobacco pack, a toilet article pack, and a confection pack to meet the requirements of 100 men for one day. TOBACCO PACK Cigarettes Chewing tobacco Pipe tobacco Safety matches Lighter flints TOILET ARTICLE PACK Brushless shaving cream Safety razor Safety razor blades Tooth powder Tooth brush Toilet soap CONFECTION PACK Sweet chocolate bar Starch jelly bar Chocolate coated coconut bar or Chocolate coated caramel nougat or Chocolate coated fudge or Caramel (wrapped) Hard candy tablets Chewing gum

If memory serves, there was also another pack which contained assorted recreational items including entire packs of 52 (?) playing cards, every one of which was an Ace of Spades.

Yes, we endured some unique experiences in Uncle Sam's Misguided Children, but it wasn't really all that much of a chore. Most ever'body in the 'Nam got their share. We got used to it and it all became some more "Same shit, different day...". It's my blessing/curse, that my PTSD has deprived me of nearly all of my more disturbing memories of those times. Hard to call that either good or bad.

What I do remember is the good times with the good guys. But I also stopped going to unit reunions back in the 1990's. Same old stories over, and over again every year, got to be rough on my Wife, Celia.

It's probably a confirmation of my mental maladies that I tend to remember what little I can remember rather fondly. I loved The Corps then, and I still do. Our VFW Commander is a full career Army Retiree who was awarded the Soldier's Medal. We Marines outnumber all the members of the rest of the services at our Post. I think he's in a bit of disbelief about how we are all so crazy, and about how much we love it being so.

Greg

 

[MarinePMI]

Also occasionally sent out to the field were Supplemental Sundries Packages.

The RATION SUPPLEMENT SUNDRIES PACK was provided to troops who did not have access to a Post Exchange outlet. The Sundries Pack was a regular issue item to the troopers of Bravo Company and was considered as the "front line post exchange". It consists of a tobacco pack, a toilet article pack, and a confection pack to meet the requirements of 100 men for one day. TOBACCO PACK Cigarettes Chewing tobacco Pipe tobacco Safety matches Lighter flints TOILET ARTICLE PACK Brushless shaving cream Safety razor Safety razor blades Tooth powder Tooth brush Toilet soap CONFECTION PACK Sweet chocolate bar Starch jelly bar Chocolate coated coconut bar or Chocolate coated caramel nougat or Chocolate coated fudge or Caramel (wrapped) Hard candy tablets Chewing gum

If memory serves, there was also another pack which contained assorted recreational items including entire packs of 52 (?) playing cards, every one of which was an Ace of Spades.

Greg

They still have those, sans cigarettes/tabacco. We had them up in Northern Iraq during/after Desert Storm. I remember clearly that some desk riding idiot didn't realize packing peanut M&M's next to the packets of Tide laundry soap, made the peanuts taste like...soap. Ours also had corn nuts (BBQ and Cool Ranch flavors, LOL!) as well as dried dates and cream of wheat. Had a guy in the Engineer Plt that just loved cream of wheat (mixed with MRE cocoa powder) with one flavor or the other of corn nuts mixed in. Food boredom does strange things to people...

At any rate, they still existed back then, though the contents had changed. We used those when we couldn't steal shit from the USAF or the Army.

On one particular "supply run" back to the main base camp, some jokers came back, and as we unpacked our "appropriated" treats, we found a case of...Old fucking Spice aftershave. I can remember now, us standing around asking, "Who was the fuckwit that took that, instead of a case of skittles, beef jerky or snickers bars?" I mean, we hadn't seen a working shower in weeks, WTF were we going to do with Old Spice aftershave? No one ever fessed up. I think we turned them into molotov cocktails, and threw them against an abandoned building to kill the boredom. <chuckle> Fun times, just sitting around, waiting for the shit to hit the fan...

 

[Greg Langelius *]

When I went over, I went as part of an entire (11th Engr) Unit, which wasn't all that common in those days. When we got there, the Supply Depots would send the junk goods to the new Supply Sgts, until they got up to speed.

One such travesty was that we could get beer, but it was Crown Korean Beer, and was universally detested by God and Man. We could get the trots, or we could stay sober (not an option...).

Then one afternoon, a Huey swung in low, unhooked a pallet of San Miguel, and our Supply Sgt dropped own off the skid with a smile as wide as Nebraska on his mug.

It is by such small miracles that legends are born. One little perq was the "Sgt. Grit's C-Ration Cookbook"

By the time I was getting ready to rotate home, I had completed my year assignment with 11th Engr at Dong Ha and did an annual change of duty station to another unit, 1st AmTracs at Qua Viet (as Base generator operator/electrician). We had the other extreme there at "The Ponderosa". When O\our guys went on R&R, they brought with them a lot of cash collected among us, and came back with some luxuries following them in the pipeline. The base was on the beach of the Gulf of Tonkin, and had boardwalks going most everywhere. Our heads had showers and flush johns, all complements of 'the system'. The hot water was supplied from discarded wing tanks and immersion heaters.

Life was occasionally exciting, but most uniformly good. We were within sight of North Vietnam, and when they got new stocks of 152mm, we got to know about it. So then we'd get to build new boardwalks, and set up new tents.

Yep I was a REMF, but I was also a pretty busy one.

Greg

 

[Foul Mike]

We used to get "Sugar Pops" as needed.--- Sundries Pack. 1A or 3 B I am sure some nomenclature-
Some shaving cream, tooth paste, and brushes, soap, pipe cleaners, boot laces, some licorice Black Crows and other candy and lots of smokes and plug tobacco.
They kind of varied as sometimes there was only 1 box of Black Crows, my favorite, instead of 2 and maybe some other candy.
I think they packed them different for other regions, in country, as well but don't know that.
We always got Hershey's Tropical choclate bars and that is what should be given to any prisoner going to be executed for their last meal. That way they know they are going to Hell.

 

[acudaowner]

the inevitable outcome from eating too many mre's

lol

 

[brianf]

Born in 1946, I actually got to eat C-3's in the 1960's.

"Type C-3 ration (1951–1953)
In 1951, a new C-3 menu for the Type C-Ration was introduced. The C-3 ration was composed of the same five menus of the C-2, but offered greater variety. In addition to new and improved “B” (bread) and “M” (meat) units, each menu contained an accessory packet, fruit, and cigarettes. The ration was very heavy, weighing 5 lbs. 8.5 oz. [2.5 kg.], and was packed in 8 small cans in a cardboard box. There were 6 daily ration boxes per cardboard case.

• Three “M” (meat) components, which offered 10 different varieties of meat entrées.
  • Chopped Eggs and Ham
  • Pork and Beans
  • Meat Chunks and Beans
• Three “B” (bread) components consisting of:
  • B-1: a unit of 5 crackers, a packet of soluble coffee, a packet of powdered milk, a packet of granulated sugar, a cocoa disc, and a 1.5 oz (43 g) tin of jam.
  • B-2: a unit of 5 crackers, a packet of soluble coffee, a packet of powdered milk, a packet of granulated sugar, 1 cookie sandwich, and 1 chocolate fudge disc.
  • B-3: a unit of 5 crackers, a packet of soluble coffee, a packet of powdered milk, a packet of granulated sugar, 2 cookie sandwiches, and a 1.5 oz (43 g) tin of jam.
  • B-4: a unit of pre-mixed and compressed cereal.
• One 12 oz (340 g) can of fruit.
• One sundries can containing the accessory packet (chewing gum, toilet paper, a P-38 can opener, granulated salt, and a flat wooden spoon) and the cigarette packet (one 9-pack of cigarettes and a book of matches).

Field cooking equipment was not required for the preparation of this ration. The C-3 ration was more adequate than the original C-Ration in respect to its nutritional value."



This was prior to my own Military USMC service (in the Scouts, don't ask), but by the time I was actually serving (early 1966) they had been depleted and were no longer available. I missed them.

...And yes, I've eaten a lot of MRE's (again, in the Scouts, don't ask) after my service. I enjoyed most (some would give SHIT!!! a bad name... Thai Chicken, for instance...) and they did indeed bind up my works...

Having eaten the several types I mentioned, I would clearly prefer the C ration, or especially the C-3 over the MRE, despite the added bulk and weight involved. I've even tried finagling a Poor Man's Charlie Rat, but nothing I came up with could compare favorably.

Combat Rations have been maligned by their consumers for many, many years. But get into the thick of things, and they can quickly turn into that small part of a shitty day that reminds one fondly of home. I lost my foodie inhibitions right quick during the elections in late 1967 when the NVA had our chow hall zeroed in at Qua Viet and Charlie Rats were the only show in town. I miss them to this day.

Greg

PS, as a Corporal of the Guard on the Northern Perimeter (11th Engr, 9th Motor T, and 12th Marines Arty HQ Sectors) of Dong Ha in early 1967, I got to distribute the Charlie Rats and then go back and collect the unused items. I loved the 'Ham and Mothers' and got all I could eat. I would also fix up one or more monster canteen cups of Mocha from the leftover coffee/cocoa fixin's strong enough to walk across and would spend the rest of the night positively wired wide awake. Field expedience at its best... Yee Hah, MoFo!

my father was born in 42, joined the guard in 59 or 60.

he said he had rats that were USN WW2 dates on them when they would do field stuff.

he said fort drum had more of the old stuff than for dix

theyd toss the cans on the engines of trucks and armor if there was any around

 

[MarinePMI]

Yeah, tossing an MRE entree (stripped from the cardboard obviously) onto the muffler pipe of a idling Hummer was an easy way to heat them up, before we had MRE heaters.

Anyone else remember writing letters home on the back of the MRE cardboard, while down range? My parents and ex-wife have a few "Maple Nut Cake" letters from back then...

 

[EddieNFL]

I remember writting "FREE" circled where the stamp was supposed to be.

 

[tucaz]

they were ok, not in the mil, just had them for the apocalypse. moved over to freeze dried since i have a swim pool and sanitation/filtration now.

those i kinda do like. a bit like going to the "U-Like Buffet"....lol

 

[Alpine 338]

As a teenager, I worked part time in a Army Surplus/Camping/Outdoors store. This was pre-MRE days, and we sold C-Rats, both individual cans and packages, plus the complete meals. Got to sample it all, and often took it camping as the freeze dried stuff was not affordable as a kid. We also carried some of the old Civil Defense food and rations. I remember we had a big Tin of biscuits open for people to sample, and they weren't too bad, even with container being opened for a long time. Funny thing, we had a mouse problem in the store, and the mice would chew into the freeze dried packages (Mountain House), and sometimes other stuff, but wouldn't touch the CD biscuits.

During basic training, we had C-Rats when doing field training, and it was no big deal as I had them before, and knew which ones to go for.

During survival school, we were given a variety of rations, including fresh meat and potatoes. One of those items was a LRRP that was chili con carne, and probably the best meal I've ever had out in the field. We also had these energy bars that were like compressed corn flakes, in a can. Hard as hell, and you felt like you were going to break a tooth trying to bite and chew them. Can't remember what they were called?

During Desert Storm, we lived on MREs for weeks, with the occasional green salad thrown in. I think the Omelet was they one I didn't really care for.

I still have some of the newer MREs stashed, as they sell new cases of current MREs at most Commissaries.

 

[MarinePMI]

As a teenager, I worked part time in a Army Surplus/Camping/Outdoors store. This was pre-MRE days, and we sold C-Rats, both individual cans and packages, plus the complete meals. Got to sample it all, and often took it camping as the freeze dried stuff was not affordable as a kid. We also carried some of the old Civil Defense food and rations. I remember we had a big Tin of biscuits open for people to sample, and they weren't too bad, even with container being opened for a long time. Funny thing, we had a mouse problem in the store, and the mice would chew into the freeze dried packages (Mountain House), and sometimes other stuff, but wouldn't touch the CD biscuits.

View attachment 8021468

During basic training, we had C-Rats when doing field training, and it was no big deal as I had them before, and knew which ones to go for.

During survival school, we were given a variety of rations, including fresh meat and potatoes. One of those items was a LRRP that was chili con carne, and probably the best meal I've ever had out in the field. We also had these energy bars that were like compressed corn flakes, in a can. Hard as hell, and you felt like you were going to break a tooth trying to bite and chew them. Can't remember what they were called?

During Desert Storm, we lived on MREs for weeks, with the occasional green salad thrown in. I think the Omelet was they one I didn't really care for.

I still have some of the newer MREs stashed, as they sell new cases of current MREs at most Commissaries.

They also typically sell the MTM (training meals; MRE's with less calories) at the Commissaries as well. They're about half the cost of full blown MRE's but have a shorter shelf life (2-3yrs I think?).

 

[Greg Langelius *]

As a Teen my buddies and I would catch the DeCamp bus out on our corner in North Newark, NJ over to the NYC Port Authority Bus Terminal, then walk about a block to Kaufman's Army and Navy, literally a landmark for us kids in the 60's. We came home with some of the weirdest military artifacts from a much distant age.

That was a different age, and kids today will never have anything like the freedom we had there and then.

Greg

 

[Mister Ridge]

Canadian ones are also decent. Wouldn't mind having a couple cases actually.

 

[packratt]

Just found a couple c rat peanut butters. Any takers