Re: The Survivability of C-Rats

[Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>]

At 06:06 PM 8/2/2000 -0500, James Dennis wrote:
>In Military Terminology, an "A Ration" is one with fresh vegetables, 
>fresh meat, fresh milk and so on, served in a dining facility/messhall 
>etc.   This stuff needs refrigeration
>
>A "B Ration" is one that is from a can, or is preserved some way.  some 
>of us remember canned bacon, steaks in cans (just add water) and so on.  
>These are generally served in the field mess facility.    No 
>refrigeration required.
>
>"C-Rations, D-Rations, Iron Rations, K-Rations and so on, were given to 
>the troops for them to fix.   The "C-Ration from World War II fame (and 
>still around from Korea) was a single can, everything was in it, 
>including several small cans.    The K/Iron/D rations came in a "cracker 
>jack box".  

Hmm.  You might wander over to either of the WWII Lists and discuss this.
Some of the veterans there seem to have a rather different memory of WWII C
Rations.  Certainly, I was buying C Rats for camping with WWII dates from
the commissary at Oakdale outside of Pittsburgh as a kid with 1944 and '45
expiration dates which were identical to what I ate in the '70's -- a
single cardboard box within individual cans.  I think you may be confusing
"10-in-one"'s with C-Rations -- fundamentally identical in purpose, but
quite different in form.

Marc

msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
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