When I was in there were four: apricots, pears, fruit cocktail and peaches. I am a VA RN and a volunteer wildland firefighter / EMT-B. Used extensively during World War II. Tay Nihn..68 Nui Ba Din. The only drawback was that hot water was needed to make the meal edible, however, the weight of extra water was offset by the lightweight meals. 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 was with the First Air Cavalry, (67-68) when we moved the whole division from An Khe to what eventually became Camp Evans, (we called it Tombstone, because we were camping in a Vietnamese cemetery) The first brigade of the 101st Airborne was under the operational control of the Cav at that time. Loved the lerps when we could get them. Got to Nam in July 68 an assigned as a pilot way down in the Delta. [1] Although officially a new ration, the MCI was derived from and very similar to the original C-Ration, and in fact continued to be called "C-Rations" by American troops throughout its production life as a combat ration (1958-1980). Reproduction WW2 German MP40 Transit Case $350.00 WW2 K Ration Heavy Duty Cardboard Packing Box (10 in 1, K Ration, Heffenreffer Beer.) FOR SALE! C-rations and m-60 mechine gun and GOD are what got me through tough times . C rations boxes contained three meals for each of eight men. Four can openers are provided in each case of 12 meals. They came sealed in foil . Cigarettes disappeared from rations in 1975, but their legacy was a . I was an infantry radio operator with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, located in the Hiep Duc. Steve Miller Excellent, brought back some good memories. But it was usually raining. 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. Twelve different menus are included in the specification. I would start out with a half gallon portable bladder and it was gone by afternoon. Hey, I think your website might be having browser compatibility issues. I know, stupid MF but what the heck, its just ham. Original Vietnam era US Military C Ration white plastic Spoon.From C Ration 382314172092. Tellander Sgt USMC. $50: VE-1123 Vietnam period shoulder bag for machine gun . L/Cpl P.T. Interesting article but a really dumb question? Through some investigation he found the manufacturer of it was Sara Lee. Little known or unpopular brands. It would swell up and we wood take it away from the exhaust port until it went back to its original size. My favorite meal was SPICED BEEF and GRAVY with crackers and cheese. My father used to grumble about C-rations from his service in WWII, also, so it was interesting to read this site. I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to you, and every single veteran for your honor, your valor, and for sharing what little you had with my father and our family. Used to put them on the voltage regulators to heat. 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. It was such a shock to my system that I had diarrhea for a week! I wanted to see the reality of what the soldiers had to endure. Most used their canteen cups, which nested on the bottom of 1 Qt. 2nd tour, NO problem, LOACH pilot and home every night if I didnt get shot down! We burned and buried the last ones in the system in1986 in the Sinai desert. Non-smokers were known to swap the C-rats cigarette. Pingback: Remember C-Rations? Thanks again. Left the nam brought one home should have seen the looks I got. That part didn't last long after the war, as the dangers of smoking cigarettes became more widely known. Pingback: A brief history of coffee in the US military, Your website really help me and my grandson doing a paper on me. I liked ham and limas. Very well written and important for us who did not serve due to age ( too young) to learn about this, Excellent; . yes i remember . Division base camps and some larger firebases had staffed mess halls, serving three hot meals every day. Great detail Great Job from an old army Grunt. In and around Quang Tri with side trips to Hue, Khe San & Dong Ha. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I did 3 tours 69-71 with Army artillery..Our 1st c rats were stamped 1946 and tasted no differnt than those made in the 60s..Beans and Weenies all the way! It consisted of three meals sealed in a plastic bag together with items such as a can opener/spoon, matches, toilet paper, etc. c-4 was the best for heating, some 4th inf. I had a couple bites but couldnt get the rest down. Shop with confidence. Staf Sargent Larry Bailey. You were the unsung heroes of Army aviation. I wanted to see more of his brave journey. Sounds like a lot of B S to me. I mixed the cocoa powder, coffee powder and creamer in hot water for a tolerable beverage. or Best Offer +C $14.58 shipping. 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. or four? The brothers always would trade for Menthols. $100 VE-546 Choice Vietnam Jungle Boots, size 12. Fortunately I was able to run down a medic with some antacid. During the monsoon season or in areas with rivers and streams, this is a moot point as water is plentiful! Always cigarettes, toilet paper and matches. There was also a separate "tobacco . Semper Fi. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Vietnam war C-Ration Cigarette Pack Winston Repro at the best online prices at eBay! Nuac mam.gag. What is wrong with me? My favorite recipewas to get a can of bread from the B-3 unit and a can of cheese from a B-2 unit; open both cans but do not take off the lid; place both cans in an empty B Unit box; light the box on fire until it burns completely; remove the bread and open it; pour the melted cheese over the bread and voila a toasted cheese sandwich. I say all and families because a Military person has or had people waiting for them and worrying about them. 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. Message me for more detailed photos and orders in bulk. A plastic spoon. I did that too but I wondered sometimes if a 7.62 round could ignite it. Smith Bravo Co. 2nd Plt 1st Bn 1st Mar Rgt 1st Mar Div, Old memories I carry my P38 that i had in Vietnam on my keychain. 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. The ham and eggs were inedible. Each menu contained approximately 1200 calories and consisted of: One canned meat course One canned fruit or cake We used to make stoves by using a can opener to open up the two sides of a small can on both sides (which were then pushed in). Change). Viet Nam most of 68. Honestly, the scrambled egg chunks or beans and weenies werent bad cold, but the rest needed to be heated in order to be palatable. You could buy cases of beer and soda too. noviopera From shop noviopera. I thank each of you for all you have done and all the countless sacrifices you made. 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). 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. TM 21 1965. During World War II, C-Rations included a cigarette packet of nine cigarettes. Each meal was in its own cardboard box, which contained the individual items sealed in cans. There were times I ate the Cs and the dates were from the Korean years. Always enjoyed the meals when I was out in the field. Yes of course the C-Rations survived the bears. You did what you had to do and made it home to an undeservedly rough reception. Tastes just like it always did, Mikolashek mumbled with a mouthful of cake as Moak laughed and clapped. Ah! I was 13. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. I was in Vietnam with the Marines from 68-69. It smells good, Moak said as he put a handful in his mouth. When absolutely necessary, Id empty the water and spoon in a can of cheese, melting it together with a ball of C-4. Left out the crew chief version of a stove. Thanks for your. Toward the end of my tour, we began having access to the freeze-dried LRRP meals. HI ED- nam 69-70- remember c-rats well. And at 75 years old, thats a blessing. Even for me being a FNG they were a treat but I didnt appreciate them as much as the old timers did. Man do I remember C rations. Brand New. They Tried! I spent my early Navy years aboard the Lexington in the South China Sea and the worst meal I can remember was Spam in fruit cocktail glaze!! recovered jeep. Once I got some pancakes that had been stuffed down an elephant rubber. As a historian, these are important details as even food technologies change. To eating our faithful C rations. Hats off to all of you guys! Beans an winnies the best.ham and eggs always green no way I would eat it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! C-Rations varied considerably through their 20 plus year service. $50: VE-1125 Vietnam Grenade Carrier. When we were operating our radio nets in the outback wilds of Fort Riley, KS, wed put our Semper Fidelis. That was like eating the congealed fat from a canned ham. Need Easy, Nutritious Food While Blacktail Deer Hunting. Within shouting distance of us was a huge Marine Mess. Ive also created a poll to help identify my website audience before leaving, can you please click HERE and choose the one item best describing you. C-ration cigarettes were discontinued in 1972. Potable water ( without iodine tablets mixed) was difficult to obtain in the field. Back in 1958 while flying the Pacific we had only Cs for flight lunches on aerial Tankers. The VC had no heart pinned down one day took out my last Posted by webmaster webmaster has not yet written their Bio. 1st tour grunt recon, etc. I have great memories of C-Rations. Military explosives? As the Doughboys went to France, the ration changed. VE-1226 Cigarette case from the 67TH TAC Recon Wing. I will call and order. Anyone able to help me out? Every C-Ration meal contained a single four-pack of cigarettes; ten different brands were primarily offered, but like the meals, some were more popular than others. Ive often wondered since who made those peaches and if their product is still available. Im also interested in the mail service during this time period. Well, my friends, let me refresh your memory and tell you everything you need to know but have forgotten about those wonderful meals. Though intended only for use in combat conditions, troops often ate K-rations for weeks on end, and they quickly tired of the monotonous meals. I always enjoyed the pears and it went great with the pound cake. Stumbled across this interesting site. Missed the initial one 4 years ago. My two favorites were green eggs and ham and yes, ham and lima beans. It does take one way back. At An Khe and Bong Son. This is the food US soldiers ate when deployed in the Vietnam War.. Great site thanks for the memories. Dan DMZ M/co 1969 USMC Hill 461 Sieara Rock Pile , Stud, LZ MAC chopper down! I always made it in a c rat can. He would flatly refuse to eat canned Spam when I was a young girl, saying it reminded him of those C rations! You did a great job with this. I explored the possibility of having the hardware removed and obtaining a medical waiver, but the consultation I received from docs and my own inner wisdom left me deciding on the path I am currently on. If you read this and you would like to try it,just give me a call at 1-800-347-2823 and i would be happy to send you a free bottle. vet 69-73 does any one have a recipe for meat and beans? We had C Rations to eat while in the Pentagon Oct 21st 1967 while the war protest march was going on. Required fields are marked *. 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. They loved hearing how Tabasco Sauce made even C-rats mostly palatable. Using a John Wayne (a P-38) pierce a series of closely spaced holes around the top and bottom rims of the can. and more. I was at minimum weight then. This establishment made Beans and Meatballs in Tomato Sauce shipping thousands of cases a month out. Only hot meal was the last morning for chow. 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. 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! Miss those soldiers from our lives deeply. $90 VE-545 Can Opener from the C-Ration Crate. Thank you for taking the time to write this article. The foil pieces are 1.75"x1.75" and 1.75"x6" in size. A second or B unit might include peanut butter and crackers, chocolate, gum, cigarettes, salt, pepper, and sugar, among other items. Crash fire. Who could ever forget about C-Rations? That was the beginning of the Tet Offensive and the hot meals were few. The blue heat tabs emitted a gas that would burn your eyes and c-4 was harder to locate for us. 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 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. Ham and eggs were definitely the worst.with the consistency of the congealed fat from a canned ham but ham & mothers referred to ham & lima beans. You, and all veterans have my utmost respect and admiration. Being from MN was my home connection. l drove a 5 ton dump and heated meals for everybody on the manifold a hot can of SOS in your belly goes a long way towards boosting your spirits. Its characteristics emphasize utility, flexibility of use, and more variety of food components than were included in the Ration, Combat, Individual (C Ration), which it replaces. 2. The brands I remember are: Marlboro, Winston, Camel, Pall Mall, Old Gold, Raleigh, Salem, Kool, Chesterfield, Newport & Lucky Strike . 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. 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. Today Gover keeps a . Each menu contains: one canned meat item; one canned fruit, bread or dessert item;one B unit; an accessory packet containing cigarettes, matches, chewing gum, toilet paper, coffee, cream, sugar, and salt; and a spoon. if so, what was the dogs favorite meal? , Just looking at a can of Ham and MFers makes me wanna puke. Service. Blocks of c 4 began to be available, this spared claymores. Fine. Great article, I was USMC 1966/67 Vietnam. Despite the new name, the MCI was still popularly referred to by the troops as "C-Rations" (or "Charlie rats"), which it resembled in nearly all respects. THE C-RATIONS I ATE IN VIETNAM IN 1970 WERE DATED 1943 THATS 27 YRS OLD AND Thanks for your service. Well, with aSTOVEyou made, right? and "M" (meat) units, each menu contained an accessory packet, fruit, and cigarettes. shows storage age and wear and is still sealed. It tasted like delicious warm and moist cake fresh from the bakery. I do recall being thirsty. Opening a claymore , take a ball of c 4, light it There wasnt a USMarine anywhere near Saigon. While serving in the Central Highlands with the 1/12th Inf. I liked Ham and M..f That meant I always had plenty to eat. Every once in awhile they would send us out real food and some Beer and coke. Upon further review it becomes clear that the lists of "things" have a much deeper meaning and carry an abundance amount of . We went through East Germany on the Autobahn to Holiefields in Weat Germany for a training mission. We got a hot meal in the jungle only after a firefight. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. about fruit cocktail. When were cigarettes removed from C rations? New Reproduction C-Rations Available. Thanks for your interesting accounts, and for your service. Packages of 20 cigarettes each are the same as the regular civilian packs and were sold in US Army operated PX stores. Dec 18, 2011. Vietnam Equipment VE-547 Choice Vietnam Jungle Boots, size 12. Explore Vietnam C Ration Cigarette with all the useful information below including suggestions, reviews, top brands, and related recipes,. always seemed to get to to the carton last an last was trash eating. I grew up in Pensacola,and lived on tabasco sauce for my oysters and everything else, and while in Nam I came up with an idea for my own hot sauce for eating c rations with,and wrote it down in a notebook we kept our call signs and frequencies in. The local food in Thailand deserves its stellar reputation. Each usually consisted of a can of some basic course, a can of fruit, a packet of some type of dessert, a packet of powdered coca, a small pack of cigarettes, and two pieces of chewing gum. Each ration was composed of a B-unit and a M-unit; total weight was approximately 7 pounds. I was on Google looking up information on c-rat socks as this is a new term that I just learned and that is how I arrived here. Open the cracker can leaving the lid attached, fill half way with dirt, then drain some JP-4 from under the Huey in to the can. 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. A typical . Click Here for web printable Marlboro Cigarettes from C-Ration Accessory Pack. of my hand did not care about cut hand But mad till this day Kevin. Thank you for the information on the sauces. Items; Share. Ron Perron One SP was intended to meet the requirements of 100 men for one day, but we usually saw one SP per platoon (30 men) every two to three weeks. I considered serving with the US Armed Forces on countless occasions however I have an old skateboarding injury in my foot and ankle and hardware that came with it that ultimately made me decide to serve domestically. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Welcome back. It`s the meal that had the pound cake. Development began in 1938 with the . yes crissie it was a mess kit one side flat other side had two compartments and you had silverware so to speak. German military outfitter Bausenwein is offering brand new, reproduction C-rations. I could not find a meat and beans recipe. And my brothers. My dear father was stationed in New Guinea as a U.S. Army medic during World War II, and from him I learned what C rations were. Was in army boot basic in 1980 Jan I Remer those c and b rations still have my P38 on my Dog tags from boot camp. I can only remember seeing cases of C-Rations stacked inside APCs along with several five-gallon containers of water when we came upon them in the jungle. Cigarettes were bad for your health along with bullets. Heating the meals and water required a small stove (see article below) with Sterno tabs or C-4 plastic explosive, the later burning very hot and fast preferred for quick meals. . I was with the 173rd Airborne/2ndBn 503rd Infantry. My favorite C-ration dish was created as follows: 1.) The ration had to contain meat, bread, canned fruit, and some kind of dessert. Due to health concerns, cigarettes were eliminated from the accessory packs in 1975. Move away from the Chopper and light with matches from C-rat. There was a reason they were called Ham & Motherfuckers. And one day I plan on working as a flight RN / EMT-P as well as continuing to either work or volunteer as a firefighter. Heres a few of the photos from my page: http://1-22infantry.org/pics4/richard.htm. Do you remember your special recipes? Wow brings back a lot of memories. As an infantry unit our year was pretty much the same as yours. So it was c-rats for at least two meals a night. from United Kingdom. Yes I remembered those olive canned food because my dad, VNs regime Officer before 1975, let me tried > canned of chocolate in foil, cake, peach, M&M, shredded pork ( ? The ration was very heavy, weighing 5 lbs . taste of C-rats in 1975 in basic training at Fort Polk La. We just sold out all of our products in February 2018 except for this hot sauce,which we are going to sell as private label. Old Marine. Patrick Douglas Erb was there from Oct.20,1970-March 15,1971. C-ration cans inside our huge transmitter, and after a couple hours sending messages back and forth we could remove those cans and enjoy a delicious hot meal e.g., my favorite, Ragout of Beef. Thanksgiving and Christmas 1967 saw one beer per guy allotted to the troops. Hi mates, good paragraph and fastidious urging commented here, I am genuinely enjoying by these. you have any idea how the mean and beans were made have never found a close substitute for them. After a formal retirement ceremony, dozens of friends and relatives joined Moak in the Pentagons Hall of Heroes as he opened the can to cheers. Also sometimes we added the sugar, creamer, and coffee park in the coco package adding a little water mixing it up. Usually the coffee, sugar and creamer had to be worked over with a bayonet pommel to reconstitute it into powder. C-rats. The cigarettes were even contaminated with bugs ! Years later I wonder if the paint was lead based? The K-ration, developed by University of Minnesota physician Ancel Keys, provided three complete and balanced, 3,000-calorie meals in compact packages. The heat tabs gave off exhaust like tear gas, which could drive guys out of a tent or bunker, so a little C-4 was just the thing burned hot and clean, and no danger of exploding because C-4 was a stable substance. I flew as a Crewchief on a UH-1C Gunship. Reblogged this on Cherries A Vietnam War Novel and commented: Heres a blast from the pasta favorite article by visitors posted over 4 yrs. The popular brands like Winston, Marlboro, Kools and Salem were always in short supply and benefited the non-smokers who used them to barter. Of course it was not their faults, soldiers , at first and second to be fair they needed to go home with their families. I remember the first c-ration meal we received. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Daddys description was not very glowing! I just put the pound cake into one of my scenes. Larry, as a young WO1 pilot just reporting to Nam, making and using the crew chief stove was one of the first thing my crew chief taught me to do. Hot BBQ beef. A must have item for your helmet display, uniform or gear. But, Nuac mam still sucks ass! Using a John Wayne (a P-38) pierce a series of closely spaced holes around the top and bottom rims of the can. Thanks for summing up all the C-ration experiences. Pleasure speaking to you. Cut the canned roll in half, spooning the can of cheese inside, put back in can, fold over the can top, put back in c-rat box and light the box on fire. $100.00 Vintage Complete Sealed Vintage Complete Sealed Vietnam Era Us C Rations Accessory Packet Wspoon Vintage Complete Sealed Vietnam Era Us C Rations Accessory Packet Wspoon. Pingback: Feasting on the Frontlines: The Vietnam War Discussing Food History. I was with the 15th Aerial Port Sq 1968-69, Da Nang. 1966-67 Smilesnada but smiles. I want to thank all the men and women who served in Vietnam. DONT HOW THEY PRESEVERED THEM BUT THEY DID A GOOG JOB TSGT CLARENCE C WOODY USAF. The first and last time I ate that meal. 3-1969 to Feb 1970. Original Vietnam era US Military C Ration white plastic Spoon.From C Ration 382314172092. A whole heat tab had to be used. Last time I tried to replace my Cs the price had gone out of sight. Just askin, BTW: I grew up in New Orleans and knew many of the McIlhenny family. . Medevac. Ahh, comfort food in the middle of the jungle. Spent almost 2 yrs in Northern I corps. Free shipping for many products! U.S. Army photo I can't find my links right now, but a little bit of searching should turn them up pretty easily. He jokingly staggered back a few feet and loudly cleared his throat, while one person yelled out, Eeww, gross!. Marines were not great cooks, but they were inventive. so what did you feed your dog in nam? Read about all of these, noticed that none of you brothers mentioned using the tin of peanut butter as a stove. Did you see how expensive they are on Ebay? It tasted like the congealed fat from a canned ham. Menu. "Peanut butter and crackers was the best," Orbell said. It was illustrated by Fred Rhoads. The section on C-rations brought waves of memories of those days. A combination my Italian wife would cringe at. Dont have any Cs any more, but still got several P-38s, three still sealed in the brown paper. Where can I buy this rations ?I like this food too much. I was the in house inspector at Granite State packing from 72 until 75. Stand tall and thank you for your service. $40 : VE-1124 Mortar carrier's shoulder pads, to support the metal barrel. Cigarettes were eliminated from rations in 1972. A few of the troops didnt like to drink beer. Those wonderful recipes that you made up so the Cs were more palatable. Always let the FNGs learn a lesson the hard way. God bless you all. Each complete meal contains approximately 1200 calories. Free Sample first six chapters of Cherries both Written and Audiobook, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran, Feasting on the Frontlines: The Vietnam War Discussing Food History, A brief history of coffee in the US military | We Are The Mighty, A brief history of coffee in the US military. My friend was in Vietnam and loved the pound cake. C-Ration: Development began in 1938 and was completed between 1941 and 1945. Cigarettes, once considered crucial to American fighting men, have sadly gone the way of the daily rum ration. Thanks Freddy Wright. We, the Army Inspectors, condemned them all. We would do the same process one more time and it would be ready to eat after you wiped it down to get as much black exhaust crap off and open it with your P38. 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. It was a luck of the draw right after we went through the gas obstacle coarse at basic training. I REMBER C-RATS I LIKED POUND CAKE AND RANGER PUDDINGDENNIS 4TH INF DIV 69-70, So cool, i love your post, I am from Vietnam. Vietnam War Pin Badge Reproductions. My dog would not eat the ham and lima beans. Looked for the fruit cans mostly, but some of the other items were tasty too. It let off a whooshing sound as the pressure seal broke. | dng sng c. Warrant officer. The small cans included in the meal were ideal for making a stove. Had to have Tabasco sauce for the C rats. great footlocker or combat field pack display item. I remember having to eat my C-Ration meal cold because we were either on the move or rushed to leave in the mornings. Meatballs and beans! The C-Ration was replaced in 1958 with the Meal Combat Individual (MCI). Great walk down memory lane. Moak got the drab olive can as a Marine helicopter pilot off the Vietnamese coast in 1973. l would buy and eat them today if someone was to make em. This brought back memories from 68-69 in the jungles of the central highlands. Army here, 67-70, most of 70 spent in Vietnam. I would save my fruit and pond cake and trad for their rations of beer. Ill never eat C-Rations again, but I can remember when I was glad to have them. They are not any where near as sensitive as civilian explosives. Among the necessities or near-necessities were P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations, and two or three canteens of water. 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. Old wolfhound hereA/1/27.66,67,68..no one mentioned the hobo stove which when out of heat tabs or C-4 we would open a can of peanut butter. Vietnam Us Army Usgi C Ration Boxes Sold by militarydepotga in Woodstock Buy Now! Remember c rats well . Find great deals on eBay for c rations cigarettes. Kindest regards. For the new guys flying for the first time, we never let them know how to do it. The Vietnamese will sit for hours with a homemade fishing pole fishing. Pound cake was one f the favorites in my platoon.