Re: The Survivability of C-Rats

[James Dennis <jrdennis@earthlink.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.  
And they would be more reliable than the World War II Veterans I talk to 
face to face? 

The 90th Infantry Division Vets that I talk to all claim that their 
"C-Rations" that they got from  June 5-the end of the War, were in one 
large can.

The 36th Infantry Division Vets that I talk to all claim that their 
"C-Rations" came in one large can.

>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

Nice, but if you were buying something with 1944 and especially 1945 
dates, then they would not have been available in Europe in WWII.  

>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.

I will stick by the people I trust.  
>
>Marc
>
>msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
>Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!
>
>