US Army WW2 Field rations

Discussion in 'General' started by Franek, Jul 6, 2009.

  1. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    All the time that I spent in the Army during WW2, I never had a complaint about the food. America had the best fed Army in the world.
    Even in combat we were fed decent food.
    C Rations consisted of 12 oz Olive Drab colored cans of, Corned beef hash, Hot Dog slices and beans, Stew and biscuits, powdered coffee, four Cigarettes. And Gum.
    Later on we started to get, Spaghetti and meat balls, and potted meat.
    K Rations were a Pack of waxed cardboard box in which there was a small block of cheese,and crackers. more potted meat, chocolate bar, gum and cigarettes , powdered lemonade powder .. No one complained.
    Field kitchens gave us fresh coffee, powdered eggs, spam, and dehydrated vegetables, fresh white bread ans sometime a piece of cake.
    To heat our C rations we were issued a can of Sterno. It looked like melted wax???? But It did the job.:)
     
  2. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    Which were your favorite and least favorite?
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    A view of compressed foods from a story concerning Army rations, Breakfast, Supper and Dinner. 1942.
    [​IMG]

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    [​IMG]
     
  4. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Which were your favorite and least favorite?

    Jeff, i had no problem with any of them. A lot of Guy.s complained about Spam.. Today, Spam is more popular than ever..
     
  5. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  6. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    Mr. Frank,

    You'd just about have to hold me down now and force me to eat it. It was on the dinner menu more than I liked when I was a boy, usually fried, which I hated.

    Were you walking most of time with the 99th, or did you, in your line of work, have a jeep or other vehicle? And if so, did you carry much in the way of rations with you on the vehicle? I ask because a veteran once told me that they had food stuffed in every nook and crannie in their halftrack. They could have eaten for day before running out.
     
  7. Franek

    Franek WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

     
  8. CROONAERT

    CROONAERT Ipsissimus

    powdered lemonade powder ..


    Which, for some reason, the fox holes above St.Vith are still littered with the empty sachets of (made by Schweppes, if I recall correctly) - more than any other (Nescafe coffee powder sachets come in second place).

    Found a still sealed one about 10 years ago and tried it out (in boiling water)...still tasted OK warm even after 50 years!

    dave.
     
  9. DoctorD

    DoctorD WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Which were your favorite and least favorite?
    Hi Jeff
    My RAF Unit's favourite during the months we spent in the American Sector of Normandy was Chopped Ham and Egg Yolks, fried in a mess tin over one of those tin cans filled with solid methylated spirit. We aso soaked the dry biscuit overnight, together with the compressed dried fruit block and next day pounded it into s aolid pudding with we boiled in a little water and ate with some evaporated milk.
    We, too, lived off the land and exchanged K ration items with locals for potatoes and eggs. I relish the taste of my first mashed potato, mixed with a soft boiled egg, after five weeks on K rations. Sweet corn was also a favorite addition, when it came with C rations.
    We als took the oppotunity of calling in on 'established' US Army units later on, for a good steak and tinned peaches. Eventually we were destined for the British Sector, whose culinary 'delights' left a lot to be desired.
    Kind regards
    Les
     
  10. ozjohn39

    ozjohn39 Senior Member

    Drew,


    Can I ask what the 'circular' objects are in the Breakfast K-ration?


    John.
     
  11. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    It is interesting that more than one time I have heard (or read, actually) British soldiers talk of how much they like US rations, and also US soldiers talk about how much they liked British fare. I wonder if it was the fact that it just was something different.
     
  12. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    Drew,


    Can I ask what the 'circular' objects are in the Breakfast K-ration?


    John.

    I think it is coffee.
     
    Formerjughead likes this.
  13. Formerjughead

    Formerjughead Senior Member

    Drew,


    Can I ask what the 'circular' objects are in the Breakfast K-ration?


    John.

    I agree with Slip.............and it says so on the box
     
  14. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    Look like rifle muzzle preservers to me.
     
  15. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Drew,


    Can I ask what the 'circular' objects are in the Breakfast K-ration?


    John.

    John I zoomed in on the picture and there is nothing written on the package. I thought they may be preserves.

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    It is interesting that more than one time I have heard (or read, actually) British soldiers talk of how much they like US rations, and also US soldiers talk about how much they liked British fare. I wonder if it was the fact that it just was something different.

    I think one of the reasons that I got such a good operational insert from Iraq was I kept my Troop Commander in MRE's for the duration of the conflict.

    Many thanks to the US Rangers at Basrah - For some reason they loved British 24Hr Ration packs. Who in their right mind would want to eat Beef Stew and Dumplings in 60' degree heat :lol:
     
  17. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Old Hickory Recon

    Look like rifle muzzle preservers to me.

    That crossed my mind also, Miguel, but they didn't put those in the meals. They were handed out on an "as needed" basis.:lol:
     
  18. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    Ah, yes, some fired their gun more often than others, and naturally artillerymen could boast of bigger guns than the rest.
     
  19. Formerjughead

    Formerjughead Senior Member

    John I zoomed in on the picture and there is nothing written on the package. I thought they may be preserves.

    Cheers
    Andy

    Zoom on the box not the package below where it is marked "Contents"
     
  20. DoctorD

    DoctorD WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Drew,


    Can I ask what the 'circular' objects are in the Breakfast K-ration?


    John.
    John
    According to the list on the box, they'd be the two sachets of soluble coffee. Probably Maxwell House!
    Les
     

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