K-Rations, C-Rations, Mre's for New years Meal?

[mstem]

Thank God, no. Closest I got was a USAF flight lunch.

My son has had to eat that stuff, with people around who'd have liked to shoot him. Has a Combat Infantryman Badge to go with his Purple Heart and two Oak Leaf clusters.

My son has had to eat MRE's. Also with animals around that were trying to kill him & his men. He also earned his Combat Infantryman Badge & a Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster. All while serving in 2/6Inf, 1AD in Ramadi, Iraq. 2005-2006.

 

[Mike G 0351]

Pound cake and peaches....

 

[cmansguns]

1966-1967-1968...then again 1972/1973/1974

MOS: 11B20 aka "Hump it all troop...and get the hell up that hill/valley/crest/"whatever suited the LT.

I remember the clear winner when opening a "new" (packed in the early to mid 50's) full case of C-Rats was the guy that got the one box in 12 that had (1) can of beanie-weenies (2) can of peaches (3) pound cake (4) Chesterfield cigs......he was "king-of-the hill" and could trade anyone for just about anything he desired.....but nobody I know ever gave up a winner.

Another "C-Rat trivia" that only enlisted grunts like me kept secret as best we could, else the LT would get beside himself:

The exhaust stack of the M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier was the "perfect" inside diameter for any of the C-Rat main course tin cans.....found out trying to heat a can of ham and Limas to see if they could be made edible for human consumption. Indeedy...yes sir bob....that little can like to have exploded when that Chrysler V-8 cranked out a few rpms and got up to temperature. The bear came after heating like that and wangling it out of the exhaust outlet bend with the tip of your bayonet, then trying to "hot-hand" it while maneuvering your P-38.

My platoon had a visit by a colonel who was riding in one of those little Command Tracks (small round hatch in the back) and those were powered by a Chevy 283 and he thought our ingenuity was pretty good but alas.....C-Rat's didn't fit his tracks smaller exhaust stack....so I guess he had to make do with cold ham n limas.

 

[dualsportdaddy]

1966-1967-1968...then again 1972/1973/1974

MOS: 11B20 aka "Hump it all troop...and get the hell up that hill/valley/crest/"whatever suited the LT.

I remember the clear winner when opening a "new" (packed in the early to mid 50's) full case of C-Rats was the guy that got the one box in 12 that had (1) can of beanie-weenies (2) can of peaches (3) pound cake (4) Chesterfield cigs......he was "king-of-the hill" and could trade anyone for just about anything he desired.....but nobody I know ever gave up a winner.
Another "C-Rat trivia" that only enlisted grunts like me kept secret as best we could, else the LT would get beside himself:

The exhaust stack of the M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier was the "perfect" inside diameter for any of the C-Rat main course tin cans.....found out trying to heat a can of ham and Limas to see if they could be made edible for human consumption. Indeedy...yes sir bob....that little can like to have exploded when that Chrysler V-8 cranked out a few rpms and got up to temperature. The bear came after heating like that and wangling it out of the exhaust outlet bend with the tip of your bayonet, then trying to "hot-hand" it while maneuvering your P-38.

My platoon had a visit by a colonel who was riding in one of those little Command Tracks (small round hatch in the back) and those were powered by a Chevy 283 and he thought our ingenuity was pretty good but alas.....C-Rat's didn't fit his tracks smaller exhaust stack....so I guess he had to make do with cold ham n limas.

I still have my P-38. I was a mechanic on the 113 and 114 APC's.

 

[Weimar]

Ate many C-Rats and MRE's - some of us were in the between army

Interesting tho, in Basic and a few times later; our C-Rats had cigs in them, they were dated from the 60's.

Almost always holidays you had real food, at least hot food. Folks in Iraq and Afghanistan were after me - my son was in both and is a civvie there right now. Their mess halls are amazing (I know I was there for 9 months myself as a civvie), but there are always troops stuck somewhere that gets little to no food on holidays and even if they get warm, hot food in a nice mess hall; they still go outside the wire fairly often...

 

[rwsmith]

Pineapple cake.....

I remember the smokes would snap like a pretzel. pound cake pretty good!

Pineapple cake was good, too. SOME items were exceptional. The peanut butter and crackers were terrible. Of course if you had no choice to eat them because that's all there was, I'm sure it took a lot of the 'fun' out of them. For Boy Scouts we thought they were a blast. Seriously, I used to wake up to the birds and sunshine and my first thoughts were for those that only woke up to mud and bullets on the other side of the world.

Do they still use 'K' rations? I have a suggestion. If the chocolate bar was to give energy, I'd put in a Snickers bar. I've never had anything hold me up without a meal as much as a Snickers.

 

[dualsportdaddy]

Growing up on the farm we always had good meals. One thing I remember doing was putting cream and sugar in my coffee. I hated black coffee. My life changed forever when I was drafted. I had to eat those nasty lima beans and Brussel sprouts. Today I will eat either and they are good. But my coffee, I learned to drink it black if I wanted any. hardly had cream or sugar. ever since my Army days I only drink coffee black. But I don't have to put in in my canteen cup anymore and forever I hate instant coffee. Those were the days. Young pup then, now a old hound! You know, I would do it all over again if needed.

 

[ChuckS1]

John Wayne bars were my favorites. I even liked the fruit cake in the C's.

 

[cmansguns]

Growing up on the farm we always had good meals. One thing I remember doing was putting cream and sugar in my coffee. I hated black coffee. My life changed forever when I was drafted. I had to eat those nasty lima beans and Brussel sprouts. Today I will eat either and they are good. But my coffee, I learned to drink it black if I wanted any. hardly had cream or sugar. ever since my Army days I only drink coffee black. But I don't have to put in in my canteen cup anymore and forever I hate instant coffee. Those were the days. Young pup then, now a old hound! You know, I would do it all over again if needed.

I would venture that ANY ONE OF US who ever served, any branch, any time, anywhere "would do it all over again if needed". I believe it is called patriotism, maybe duty, but to all who have worn the uniform, and to all that still do, including our brave LEO's wherever you are...you have my thanks and gratitude for your service.
If you are in my neck of the woods, stop in to say howdy, and I'll rustle us up something edible and I promise no ham and limas.....ever.

 

[jscheck]

C-rats, K-rats, and MRE's. In both the Air Force and Army. Fortunately not in time of war. All of it was often terrible to eat but beat starving!

 

[webley green]

Mmmmm. Pecan Cake Roll.

 

[H Richard]

I recall the cooks in the USAF opening a lot of C-rat cans in the chow hall back in 59-63. I never had to have a whole meal of only c-rats, and MRE's hadn't been invented yet.

 

[yaktamer]

I served in the mid-80's during the transition from C-rats (technically MCIs) to MREs. I still can't decide which was better overall--winners and losers in each. C-Rat favorites: Pound cake, peaches, turkey loaf, John Wayne bars. MREs: Beans in red sauce, chicken a la king (although quality seemed to very greatly from package to package).

 

[rwsmith]

I was reading up on K-rats..

C-rats, K-rats, and MRE's. In both the Air Force and Army. Fortunately not in time of war. All of it was often terrible to eat but beat starving!

They were designed to be a cut above 'survival food' but give the energy for a soldier to function. When tested they were voted 'better than nothing'. Unfortunately they were often abused as a substitute for real meals over days and sometimes up to a week. =8^ O-=--=-

 

[ky wonder]

C rats were all we were ever served in my time of service 72-78

I never heard of mres in my 6.years in the army