View Full Version : Looky What I Found
The little woman was doing some garage cleaning and ran across an old box that was taped shut. I opened it up and found a bunch of old military rations, some C-Rat cans and some early MRE's.
Down deep I found a few of these:
If I recall correctly, I was issued these for my Robin Sage mission in Phase III of the Q-course. I can't imagine why I had any left over. I suspect that when we went to pack our rucks, food was last, I probably didn't have any more room and left a few behind.
The nasty looking stuff on the first one was some grape jelly that had leaked from an MRE. I haven't opened them, but I don't think I'll be eating them.
Any other old timers here that recognize these?
Snaquebite
08-25-2010, 19:41
Where are the C-Rats?
Both of these were much sought after LRRPs - but the chili was only good if you were in a stiuation where you could heat your water and you were prepared for the inevitable gas attack which followed - chicken and rice was always good. The orange/lemon high protein bars were the best.
Richard
I think I have some C-Rat peanut butter, beef steak and some weenies. They are not intact and I didn't find very many cans.
I recall pre-cooking the LRRP's, rolling them up and putting one in each cargo pocket for eating later. The lemon bars were excellent trading material.
Peregrino
08-25-2010, 20:51
I think I have some C-Rat peanut butter, beef steak and some weenies. They are not intact and I didn't find very many cans.
I recall pre-cooking the LRRP's, rolling them up and putting one in each cargo pocket for eating later. The lemon bars were excellent trading material.
I remember some of my less enlightened comrades eating their LRRPs dry. :eek:
I've got an old P-38 can opener you could have.
The little woman was doing some garage cleaning and ran across an old box that was taped shut. I opened it up and found a bunch of old military rations, some C-Rat cans and some early MRE's.
Down deep I found a few of these:
If I recall correctly, I was issued these for my Robin Sage mission in Phase III of the Q-course. I can't imagine why I had any left over. I suspect that when we went to pack our rucks, food was last, I probably didn't have any more room and left a few behind.
The nasty looking stuff on the first one was some grape jelly that had leaked from an MRE. I haven't opened them, but I don't think I'll be eating them.
Any other old timers here that recognize these?
You might find more info about your classic meals here: http://www.mreinfo.com/
About mid-page is information about the LRP ration: http://www.mreinfo.com/us/current/current-us-rations.html
There may be some residual value in the rations as collectors items. The forums at mreinfo.com occassionally discuss such things.
Ambush Master
08-25-2010, 21:16
I've got an old P-38 can opener you could have.
I'm still carrying and using a P-38 from Phase 1, Fall of '69!!!
Later.
Martin
I've still got my first one from Basic in '67, put it on my dog-tag chain. It's still on my key-chain and I used it just a couple of weeks ago for something that the kitchen crank opener didn't work on. I wish I had kept them all...tough little suckers!
Pat
p.s.: C-rats...I liked the spaghetti cold. Go figure.
p.p.s.: I also hoarded all of my cigarettes and gum to trade/barter at a later date. The cigs got me out of fire-guard twice. The gum...not much of anything.
That's cool!
I finally had to take mine off the key chain. Metal against metal, something had to give, it was simply wearing out.
I'm still carrying and using a P-38 from Phase 1, Fall of '69!!!
Later.
Martin
I would think most items in the LRRPs would be good to eat.
But eating them is a one shot deal - then they're gone.
To remember - or experience what they tasted like for the first time - I'd tell a person to go down to their local Hunting store like Dicks or Gander Mountain any buy one of the Mountain House meals. The Chicken & Beef stews are good with the Chili Mac (has noodles) coming in a real close 2nd.
I ate plenty of Chili LRRPs cold - the orange grease that collected on the insides of the plastic bag was something to see.
1stindoor
08-26-2010, 07:03
You might find more info about your classic meals here: http://www.mreinfo.com/
.
mreinfo...lol....truly the internet is a wonderful place with something for everyone.
Monsoon65
08-26-2010, 15:50
I'm still carrying and using a P-38 from Phase 1, Fall of '69!!!
I have no idea about the history of my P-38. My dad gave it to me before I went to Basic in 1983 and I've carried it since.
Long Range Patrol Rations ("Lurps") were fine eating IF you had:
1 - Plenty of water.
2 - Plenty of heat tabs or a squad stove, etc. to BOIL the water.
3 - Plenty of time to let 'em soak.
4 - Plenty of Tabasco Sauce.
They were certainly lightweight.
The "extra's" weren't so good, compared to candy bars in MRE's. There was
a hard oatmeal cereal bar that looked and tasted like a dog treat for
a big dog.
The chili with beans could, when placed alongside a block of C4,
make a passable Claymore mine. Those beans took forever to soften.
Anything with rice was good to go fairly fast, but the key was lots of HOT water, stir it up from the bottom and the sides, fold over the top to keep the steam in, and knead it to make sure the HOT water got into everything.
Did I mention the water had to be HOT?
Spagetti with meat sauce was my favorite. I used to only put in a third of the water called for and then roll the package up with rubber bands and put it inside my shirt next to my skin.
When I got hungry, I opened the package and ate 2 or 3 mouthfuls followed by a drink of water. The meal expanded in my stomach giving the sensation of being full. I then rerolled the remaining meal and put it back in my shirt.
The chili with beans could, when placed alongside a block of C4,make a passable Claymore mine. Those beans took forever to soften.You were never taught how to prepare them properly...prior to infil, soak the dry mixture in a couple of canteen caps of water. Seal them with 100 MPH tape and store them in the cargo pocket of your fatigues...by the end of a twenty day operation, they will be ready to be thrown away...
I actually always like chili and rocks...
Green Light
08-27-2010, 11:23
Both of these were much sought after LRRPs - but the chili was only good if you were in a stiuation where you could heat your water and you were prepared for the inevitable gas attack which followed - chicken and rice was always good. The orange/lemon high protein bars were the best.
Richard
+1
The bars were a treat. I believe that they were Cornflakes Bars (probably the leavings at the Kelloggs' Plant, flavored with whatever; the lemon was great).
Oddly, we only got them when we were:
1. In the desert, or
2. High in the mountains
We were never close to a good water source when they were issued. :D
greenberetTFS
08-27-2010, 12:09
I got my first taste of C's during a training mission in 1955 with the 505 PIR.......My stuff had a rock hard chocolate that resembled a hockey puck....... Green label on the Lucky Strike pack of cigarettes.......... And last but not least a can of meat balls in gravy with tasted like shit even after I heated it up wired to the manifold on our jeep.........A guy told me that the green label on the cigarettes went out in 1944....... Anyone know when C's were changed out for MRE's?.......My first MRE's I had were when we got them from the military helping us out a few days after Katrina........:)
Big Teddy :munchin
Anyone know when C's were changed out for MRE's
Big Teddy :munchin
Here you go Big Teddy.
http://www.millennium-ark.net/News_Files/Food/MREs.html
When I went to OSUT at Ft. Benning in 1981, we were issued the C-rats. I think the MRE's came out in 1984 or 1985. I'm sure someone here will have the exact date.
Utah Bob
08-27-2010, 13:17
I found a c-rat pound cake can in the bottom of an old box in the barn a few years ago. It was kinda swole up so I tossed it. Dated 65.
I always like the Chicken Stew Lrrps best. Chicken and Rice wasn't too bad. Chili was edible after a fashion.
I wonder what they fetch on e-bay?
I've never had an MRE.
Damn. Now I'm hungry.
And strangely nostalgic and nauseous at the same time.;)
cetheridge
08-27-2010, 21:26
Really loved those C-rat Ham and MF@#kr's.
Worst meal I can remember was C-rat scrambled eggs (cold) with rain dripping off my helmet.
Kinda partial to the LRRP spaghetti.
Still have my P-38 from 1967 on my key ring.