Gov't Cheese
Member
Ham & Eggs with the spaghetti a close second for the worst.
Do you remember "C" rations? If so, what was the worst and best?
- Thread starter marine2541
- Start date
cmort666
Member
The best way to heat C-rats, at least when you didn't need to hide your location, was to puncture the cans, put them back in the box and set them on fire. I learned to do this from some prior service guys at Infantry Officer Basic Course in '80. It always worked like a charm.
Spotteddog
Member
I recall comic Ron White saying about how his dog Sluggo after eating his new wife's cooking started licking his butt. When his wife asked why, he said "I think he's tryin' to get the taste out of his mouth".
Jeepnut
Member
Yeah, they were JUST like styrofoam...but kinda' filled the gap when trenching along. Tasty little morsels..LOL. And crunchy too.
Thankfully though, times have changed. So have the MRE's.
OFT
Member
The ham & eggs unheated on a cold day. One look and you just lost your appetite.
The worst was the Corned Beef that our chow hall made into SOS. Came out of the can like wood chips.
Loved them-the smokes could be a little rough. Loved LRRP rations even more. Could live on MREs forever. And T-rats were yummy too. Only C I had a problem with was sphagetti with meat-It was dark and I pulled out a three inch square piece of buffaloe hiney. Yick-I ate the rest though.
CH47gunner
US Veteran
Ah yes, C-rats.
Favorites were Beef & Potatoes and Beany Weenies. I'd eat the Lima Beans & Ham also. Least fav were the Eggs & Ham.
We'd do pretty much the same as Paladin, open the top of the can and put it next to the combiner transmission. Wait about 10 minutes & it'd be hot enuf to eat.
Nice thing about being aircrew was when it got to be around lunch time, we'd just grab a case of C's out of the internal load & take what we wanted. Then toss the rest in a Mini-gun can for munchies.
We took a couple of rds. coming out of an LZ and my Crewchief started hollering over the intercom. I looked over & he was covered with red/orange stuff and he thought he was hit bad. Turns out two of the rds. had hit his M60 and one of them had exploded the can of spagetti he had clipped to his gun. He didn't think it was all that funny.
Bruce
Favorites were Beef & Potatoes and Beany Weenies. I'd eat the Lima Beans & Ham also. Least fav were the Eggs & Ham.
We'd do pretty much the same as Paladin, open the top of the can and put it next to the combiner transmission. Wait about 10 minutes & it'd be hot enuf to eat.
Nice thing about being aircrew was when it got to be around lunch time, we'd just grab a case of C's out of the internal load & take what we wanted. Then toss the rest in a Mini-gun can for munchies.
We took a couple of rds. coming out of an LZ and my Crewchief started hollering over the intercom. I looked over & he was covered with red/orange stuff and he thought he was hit bad. Turns out two of the rds. had hit his M60 and one of them had exploded the can of spagetti he had clipped to his gun. He didn't think it was all that funny.
Bruce
ldausmc1369
US Veteran
Peaches and pound cake! Ham and mothers - UGH! Cold spaghetti at 3:00 AM. Instant cofee, UGH!
jlrhiner
US Veteran
I agree on the ham and mothers, someone would have to beat me. In 75-76 they were dated early 50's. We'd heat them by putting a dent in the side of the can, and heating them over a pinch of C4. When the dent popped out, they were ready.
truckermike
Member
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2009
- Messages
- 57
- Reaction score
- 0
OK lets hear from a former chow SGT. Any out there?
Heres my understanding and it may be wrong:
Class A rations: made from fresh ingrediants(good luck)
Class B: made from a combination of fresh and canned ingrediants.Most dining facilities use this.
Class C: ration,combat,individual.
K rations were WWII and into Korea.
D Rations-never exposed to them.
Heres my understanding and it may be wrong:
Class A rations: made from fresh ingrediants(good luck)
Class B: made from a combination of fresh and canned ingrediants.Most dining facilities use this.
Class C: ration,combat,individual.
K rations were WWII and into Korea.
D Rations-never exposed to them.
oldRoger
US Veteran
There was some unidentifiable meat mixed with noodles that was not too bad (not the spaghetti & meat-bad)
We had unlabeled cans, There was some kind of heater that the cooks put into GI cans full of water then threw in c rations, got the whole works hot, you went along (at appropriate intervals of course) and picked out a can or two of mystery.
Some people (?) would trade partial cans, mix many together, and claim great culinary success, not!
We had unlabeled cans, There was some kind of heater that the cooks put into GI cans full of water then threw in c rations, got the whole works hot, you went along (at appropriate intervals of course) and picked out a can or two of mystery.
Some people (?) would trade partial cans, mix many together, and claim great culinary success, not!
Gutpile Charlie
US Veteran
I was in the Army Reserve from 1958 through 1962. We were an arty untit and shot WWII vintage 8" howitzer ammo as well as M2 ball in our M1s dated about 1943.
C rats were of the same vintage also. I remember opening up a package that had green label Lucky Strike smokes in it. Now that dates them.
I also opened a package that contained a candy bar and maggots were enjoying it!
Ok, best and worst. Everybody wanted beanie weenies and try to avoid corned beef hash.
Other items of the time were pound cake, peaches, fruit cake, scalloped potatoes and beef stew.
The one item I never saw used...as the directions called for...was the "hot chocolate".
One of the cans contained "accessory items". Among the items in this can was a hockey puck looking tablet of chocolate with direction to the effect of:..."place in canteen cup, pour hot water over it, stir and..."enjoy"!
I even tried going after one with a bayonet one time and that didn't even phase it.
To my knowledge, no one in the entire history of the U.S. Army was ever able to make hot chocolate out of that damn thing. I don't even think they would have made good clay birds for trap or skeet. You could have hit them dead on and the wouldn't break. They were harder than the hubs of hell!
I did see some cooks in a field kitchen once collect a large quantity of them, put them in a giant pot, cover with water and put on a stove, boiling... for a day.
It didn't make hot chocolate!
The other usless item in the pack was the "biscuits". These were pale white, hard little "cookies" that were stack three or four deep as part of a can. They had all the attraction of eating bad carboard. I don't think anyone was ever able to get them down.
Other than that, they were wonderful.
Bon appetite.
C rats were of the same vintage also. I remember opening up a package that had green label Lucky Strike smokes in it. Now that dates them.
I also opened a package that contained a candy bar and maggots were enjoying it!
Ok, best and worst. Everybody wanted beanie weenies and try to avoid corned beef hash.
Other items of the time were pound cake, peaches, fruit cake, scalloped potatoes and beef stew.
The one item I never saw used...as the directions called for...was the "hot chocolate".
One of the cans contained "accessory items". Among the items in this can was a hockey puck looking tablet of chocolate with direction to the effect of:..."place in canteen cup, pour hot water over it, stir and..."enjoy"!
I even tried going after one with a bayonet one time and that didn't even phase it.
To my knowledge, no one in the entire history of the U.S. Army was ever able to make hot chocolate out of that damn thing. I don't even think they would have made good clay birds for trap or skeet. You could have hit them dead on and the wouldn't break. They were harder than the hubs of hell!
I did see some cooks in a field kitchen once collect a large quantity of them, put them in a giant pot, cover with water and put on a stove, boiling... for a day.
It didn't make hot chocolate!
The other usless item in the pack was the "biscuits". These were pale white, hard little "cookies" that were stack three or four deep as part of a can. They had all the attraction of eating bad carboard. I don't think anyone was ever able to get them down.
Other than that, they were wonderful.
Bon appetite.
JOERM
Member
The P-38 was the best useful item and I still have one. You could kill someone or something with it too.
Grayfox
US Veteran
In the early 70s I was with 2nd Armored at Ft Hood. Standing order was that all units would spend one week of each month in the field. I was there for almost two years. Yeah, I ate a bunch of C-Rats.
Most of the ones we got were dated in the 1950s.
I kinda liked 'em. Or at least I didn't hate 'em. I considered them to be an acceptable meal. Even liked the ham and eggs. I'd eat the lima beans, but I'd say they were the ones I liked least.
Ah, but the fruit cocktail! That was the prize can everybody wanted. It was actually quite good!
IIRC you looked for boxes marked "B2 Unit". Those were the ones with the canned fruit and the candy bar.
An 8V-71 Detriot Diesel engine would indeed warm up C-Rats very nicely.
Anybody ever do the trick where you warmed up the coffee using the peanut butter?
Most of the ones we got were dated in the 1950s.
I kinda liked 'em. Or at least I didn't hate 'em. I considered them to be an acceptable meal. Even liked the ham and eggs. I'd eat the lima beans, but I'd say they were the ones I liked least.
Ah, but the fruit cocktail! That was the prize can everybody wanted. It was actually quite good!
IIRC you looked for boxes marked "B2 Unit". Those were the ones with the canned fruit and the candy bar.
An 8V-71 Detriot Diesel engine would indeed warm up C-Rats very nicely.
Anybody ever do the trick where you warmed up the coffee using the peanut butter?
Wish I could join in on this "C Rats" thread... my memory is getting bad...
but I remember some of the USMC food I ate out in Iwakuni and Kadena kept you pretty regular...
Hardly C Rats but have just spent two nights in an RAF Officers Mess and they do a darned good "Full Fry" cooked breakfast but you can't get a evening meal after 1830.
DCC
but I remember some of the USMC food I ate out in Iwakuni and Kadena kept you pretty regular...
Hardly C Rats but have just spent two nights in an RAF Officers Mess and they do a darned good "Full Fry" cooked breakfast but you can't get a evening meal after 1830.
DCC
One other thing I hated about them - once commissioned I had to pay for them, and when in the field "they" (I think the Battalion S-1/PAC pukes) submitted paperwork so our BAS (Basic Subsistence Allowance) was suspended, we had to buy the things even if we didn't eat them. After every field exercise I ended up with a case or two of them.
Somone mentioned dumping the cans in hot water to heat them up, this was always done, as I recall, using immersion heaters in garbage cans. I, and many others, always enjoyed watching the cooks light the immersion heaters. The heaters had a fuel tank holding about a gallon of MOGAS, and dripped the gas on a burner plate in a submerged donut shaped heating chamber, at least as I recall. The cooks were supposed to light the heaters with a wick on a long metal rod; being Army cooks they preferred to turn up the fuel flow to max. and throw buring matches into the heaters, this usually worked, when it didn't the fumes would ignite, a big bang would be heard, and the cook would have his helmet or cap blown off and be covered in soot.
I think when we were in the field we were supposed to get one Class A/hot meal a day, and it was supposed to follow the "14 Day Menu", never did, the mess sergeants always screwed it up and we would have 4 hot meals one day then famine and C rats for three days. The mess sergeants I had also always screwed up the headcount sheets and cash collection sheets and I recall catching hell from the old man over that - my battery could displace 5 times in a day, execute perfect convoys, smooth day and night occupations, but God help you if the ration paperwork was screwed up.
Somone mentioned dumping the cans in hot water to heat them up, this was always done, as I recall, using immersion heaters in garbage cans. I, and many others, always enjoyed watching the cooks light the immersion heaters. The heaters had a fuel tank holding about a gallon of MOGAS, and dripped the gas on a burner plate in a submerged donut shaped heating chamber, at least as I recall. The cooks were supposed to light the heaters with a wick on a long metal rod; being Army cooks they preferred to turn up the fuel flow to max. and throw buring matches into the heaters, this usually worked, when it didn't the fumes would ignite, a big bang would be heard, and the cook would have his helmet or cap blown off and be covered in soot.
I think when we were in the field we were supposed to get one Class A/hot meal a day, and it was supposed to follow the "14 Day Menu", never did, the mess sergeants always screwed it up and we would have 4 hot meals one day then famine and C rats for three days. The mess sergeants I had also always screwed up the headcount sheets and cash collection sheets and I recall catching hell from the old man over that - my battery could displace 5 times in a day, execute perfect convoys, smooth day and night occupations, but God help you if the ration paperwork was screwed up.
Pilgrim
US Veteran
the stuff I ate in 67 WAS dated during WW2
There were stories in VietNam about guys getting Lucky Strike Greens in some of the rations.
jlrhiner
US Veteran
Good Lord Charlie, I forgot about the corned beef hash. I STILL won't eat it.
J. Galt
US Veteran
I actually liked the spaghetti.
Couldn't eat the eggs, the ham & mothers was OK, if I discarded the beans. But the best was when four or five guys dumped their entrees into an ammo can to be heated over a fire. Add about half a bottle of Tobasco and that's good eating!
Couldn't eat the eggs, the ham & mothers was OK, if I discarded the beans. But the best was when four or five guys dumped their entrees into an ammo can to be heated over a fire. Add about half a bottle of Tobasco and that's good eating!
Roger all on the Eggs and Ham ... blech.
I can't believe nobody mentioned the John Wayne Bar (Choclate with toffee chips) -- Yum! I was also a spaghetti fan, best heated by placing on top of a M151's engine while travelling to staff meetings.
In the 80's at the Yakima Firing Center we had a USMC Tank Platoon attached to our Army infantry company, and the Marines where still issued C's, while we had been eating MREs for some time. I was surprised to see my troops, and me, trading our MRE's for the C's we'd all previously badmouthed. I guess variety is the spice of life.
I can't believe nobody mentioned the John Wayne Bar (Choclate with toffee chips) -- Yum! I was also a spaghetti fan, best heated by placing on top of a M151's engine while travelling to staff meetings.
In the 80's at the Yakima Firing Center we had a USMC Tank Platoon attached to our Army infantry company, and the Marines where still issued C's, while we had been eating MREs for some time. I was surprised to see my troops, and me, trading our MRE's for the C's we'd all previously badmouthed. I guess variety is the spice of life.
ChinaSeaSailor
US Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2009
- Messages
- 812
- Reaction score
- 2
my favorite was ham and MF'S - traded pound cake for Pall Mall Red(no filter) - still smoked em when came home - naturaly all were opened with:
gunsmith11
Member
i ate them n the 60s but I dont really remember if the were good or bad,,I guess if they were bad I would remember that,,,seems to me i did like the crackers
ErnieDeBord
Member
***edited***, was sooo young and hungry tired......ANYTHING tasted good
Gutpile Charlie
US Veteran
Will5A1, I also fondly remember the immersion heaters. I've seen the cooks throw a match into one and have it blow that section of "stove pipe" coming out the top 50 feet straight up in the air.
It was not an unusual sound to wake up to to hear them heaters "blowing up" all over an encampment area!
Damn, those were the days!
It was not an unusual sound to wake up to to hear them heaters "blowing up" all over an encampment area!
Damn, those were the days!
I served from 81-89 so I Had both the c rats and mre'e. C rat favorite chicken or turkey loaf with melted caraway cheese and for desert pound cake and babyheads (apricots).Mre favorite Ham slices and all the deserts sucked. The worst c rat was beef and shrapnel(beef and potatoes) one side beef- one side potatoes and loaded with grease , desert chocolate choke roll. MRE's beef and spiced sauce and desert , the dam gorilla cookies that were welded together with the wax paper stuck in the middle
Sir, C-rats were largely a thing of the past when I was in, but we still got them occasionally. I didn't pay attention to when they were made; based on the "previous war" model, we just assumed they were Vietnam vintage. They didn't come with cigarettes.
The tuna was good, as were the "beef and rocks," but the beanies and weenies I could have done without. I don't recall ever getting ham and mothers, thank goodness. The pound cake was excellent, the fruit cocktail outstanding--far superior to the dehydrated styrofoam version in the early MREs.
I still carry my John Wayne on my keyring. That thing was the original multi-tool.
Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.
Ron H.
The tuna was good, as were the "beef and rocks," but the beanies and weenies I could have done without. I don't recall ever getting ham and mothers, thank goodness. The pound cake was excellent, the fruit cocktail outstanding--far superior to the dehydrated styrofoam version in the early MREs.
I still carry my John Wayne on my keyring. That thing was the original multi-tool.
Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.
Ron H.
I went in 29 Jan, 1951. Had C & K rations left over from WW 2. Still carry on my key chain the P-38 can opener that came with my first box. It's Dated 1951 also. Don't know how mwny cans of beer it's opened. Gee Whiz, does that make it a collectors item? Only 58 years?Nawwww.
