Vietnam War field rations, were WW2 K-Rations still being used?

[Peter Laidler]

We used to have a saying about our 'compo' rations and that was '....anyone can live like a,....... er......., lets say a wally for politeness. In the tanks they had all the cooking and water facilities as old tanker says - as did the REME and engineers who usually have vhicles or light armour. Usually you'd find one of the blokes who was good with compo and he could usually dish up something quite nice and tasty by gathering all of the ration packs together, pooling it and making something good. Occasionally it was just a tub of hot stew that everyone just spooned-in and eat as they fancied. Add a bit of curry powder and.......... Yep, some quite tasty meals

[Paul S.]

Our ration packs had Irish stew and curried sausages for example that I still believe were made by Tom Piper. I was home on R&R and home in Parramatta, got up early and hungry. I came back to bed with a spoon and an open tin of cold Tom Piper while my wife was having a sleep-in. She nearly threw up when she woke and saw what I was scarfing. Fastest hot breakfast cooked ever!

We also poached ('If it isn't nailed down or guarded ...') US rations when we could. They were mostly C-rations. The ones I remember eating were Beefsteak and Potatoes, Turkey Loaf, Beef and Gravy, Ham and Lima Beans, and Chopped Ham and Egg. The supplement packs had some sort of bread product that could be fruit cake, pound cake, crackers (with cheese spread or peanut butter) and the worst ever 'Boston Brown Bread'. We were really lucky when we lifted a case of their LRRP rations, which were freeze-dried, just add water, mix, wait, and eat packet.

The worst experience was eating, purely no other option, captured NVA rations - dried fish and rice.

[armabill]

My unit was the first to test the MRE's when it first came out. It wasn't like it is today.
We had to fill out an evaluation sheet. I gave it a bad rating.

It came in a foil like bag, dry. You had to heat up the water and after mixing you had to wait for 15 minutes before eating.

Here's why I gave it a bad rating:
1. Water should be kept for drinking and not used for anything else.
2. They didn't give you a spoon or any utensils to use in eating it.
3. They didn't give you any heat tabs.
4. No matches either.
5. We had to supply everything in order to use it.
6. There was a lot of food there and we had no way to store it for later.

The food did taste good but that's all I can say good about it.

In "C" rations, you got a packet with it that included:
1. Toilet paper
2. Salt and pepper
3. Candy bar
4. Cigarettes
5. Spoon, knife and fork
6. Matches
7. Heat tab
8. Sugar

[browningautorifle]

a case of their LRRP rations, which were freeze-dried, just add water, mix, wait, and eat packet

I still have a selection of those here, saving them for the apocalypse I suppose...that and a .45 for emergencies...

We had to fill out an evaluation sheet. I gave it a bad rating.

Our new ones were made by Freddy Chef and had many missing items too. Things that hadn't been used by the people that designed the new ones and had no field time to know what they were for. Took years to sort out.

[fjruple]

By 1969 in the 2nd Bn, 34th Armor, 25th Infantry Division, it was, "Meal Combat, Individual" aka C-rations for the mid day meal. Quite often, the evening meal came out on the resupply chopper and was B rations. Paper and plastic had replaced mess kits by then.

Unlike our dismounted bretheren, there was no weight penalty, so we carried C-rations by the case. In addition, we had the luxury of being equipped with a pair of tanker stoves. Further luxury came from carrying between 10 gallons of potable water in the 5 gallon cans on each side of the turret. But the supreme luxury was the Mermite can strapped somewhere on the turret In this case you can see it long side the commander's cupola. A case of canned beverages and ice would keep for three to four days.
Attachment 86868Attachment 86869Attachment 86870

I still have a case of C-Rations in the house in event of emergencies along with several 5 gallon army cans of water. Just in case! I remember when the MREs came in folks were trading 3 cases of MREs for a case of C-rations. In the late 70's I was a battalion S4 and C-Rations were still available. They were being pushed out of the supply system in favor of the MREs. Folks were really use to the 1/2 inch of grease on the pork or beef patties!! LOL! I have one of those old squad gas stoves. They kind of went out when the Army which to Diesel and JP4 fuel for their vehicles. They are great little stove when they work properly.

--fjruple

[browningautorifle]

old squad gas stoves.

We called them the mountain stove and used them extensively.

[old tanker]

If any one ever deserved a Distinguished Service Medal it is the unnamed genius who had them include Tabasco in the MRE accessory pack.

[Brian Dick]

Ain't that the truth old tanker! I used to carry my own bottle of Texas Pete too. I'm still addicted to it.

When I took the ROTC basic course in '81-'82 at ERAU in Daytona Beach, FL we were given C-Rations that were dated in the 1960's if memory serves when out on FTX's.

[old tanker]

...When I took the ROTC basic course in '81-'82 at ERAU in Daytona Beach, FL we were given C-Rations that were dated in the 1960's if memory serves when out on FTX's.

That would be easy enough to roughly date. C-rations issued AFTER 1975 no longer had the little 4 cigarette packs included in the accessory pack. I recall a great outcry! Any ****ant politician or REMF even thought to be remotely responsible being reviled greatly!

[browningautorifle]

Tabasco in the MRE accessory pack

Our guys would hoard those for later ops...