Started Bootcamp 31Jan1977, 3rd Bn. Platoon 3037, Recruit Depot Paris Island, SC.
We had C-Rats in the field that were canned in 1943 and 1944. 33 & 34 year old chew, We Loved It, heated em’ up with heat tabs and enjoyed. 3 years and all the C-Rats you can eat at the 2nd Bn. 7th Marine Ret., and a John Wayne, Heat tabs, and a little hot sauce from the PX, Made the field not so bad. The hills of Camp Pendleton was a vacation compared to jungles of Vietnam that all my Drill Instructors and Platoon Sergeants saw. God Bless Senior Drill Instructor SSgt. Moch, and God Bless the Marine Corps,,,,,
Semper Fi,,,
From all the stories I hear and read about WWII/Korea era C-rats, I’m really surprised that most of the Marine Corps didn’t expire from ptomaine poisoning, but I have no reason to doubt the validity of your memory. Personally, I can’t remember the dates and any C-rats which I consumed, only that I was usually hungry, some were good, and some not so good. My father, a WWII veteran, told me that he was not aware of C-rats, but that they consumed K-rats which were somewhat different. In 1969, I cracked a tooth when I chomped into a pit while I was eating a can of the coveted peaches. Was sent to NSA DaNang (China Beach) for dental repair. Still have my P-38 “John Wayne” can opener taped to my dog tags. Semper Fi!!!
MSgt Edd I was sent to NSA China Beach for an infected centipede bite Feb 69. When were you there? Still have a P-38 on my tags but not sure if its the one from Vietnam or from field training stateside. I do remember C’s dated late 50’s Harry 1371
BTW the Delta-Deltas at NSA were awesome!
Harry, They called them Duty-Cuties in Hospital in Japan, they didn’t like it. But they were good lookin’. Murray1371
Murray, after 10 months in country and, I know this will sound racist , but any “round eye girl” would probably looked good. Harry 1371
It was sometime in September ’69, I can’t remember the exact date. They installed a temporary crown and I went back for the permanent gold crown. That lasted until just last year when my dentist had to remove it because of underlying infection. He was amazed that it had lasted for 50 years. I kept it, along with other souvenirs of my two southeast Asia vacations. Semper Fi!!!
Small world. I too was at 1st Med in Sept ’69. Medivaced from down An Hoa way for a small issue.
At An Hoa 67 – 68 with 11th provincial gun battery. (8”and 155 guns sp ). Not a great place to be at the time.
So true, they were good, I was active duty 74-78 and reserve till 83. The first gen of MREs were horrible. I now work at the Natick Solider Systems Center where the food is made the new MREs are almost as good as the C rats.
We didn’t have to eat many C rats in the Air Wing, but occasionally got them in the field. The spaghetti and the baked bean versions weren’t too bad if hungry enough, but the Lima beans and ham weren’t the best sellers.
GySgt Paul T. Kuras USMC (Ret) WWII, Korea,Vietnam
I still have my P-38 on my tags from the Korea Operation. Lot of C-Rats consumed during that operation. Kept us going. Must have been nutritional.
Every day a Holiday,
Every meal a Feast,
Every payday a fortune,
Every formation a family reunion,
Every operation an challenge,
Every Liberty Call an adventure.
US Marine Corps: Just one good deal after another
I’ve eaten a lot of C’s and probably experienced all of them. It was interesting to see what was left in the case, or what individual items were thrown back in the case for whatever reason. Everyone refers to the can opener as a P38 which I believe was its actual designation. I’ve heard some marines refer to it as an “Itty Wah”, probably because of the sound it made when it open the cans. Has anyone else ever heard it called that ?
I can remember our platoon sgt always had us open the C rat case from the opposite side so we could not see the label on the boxes. It was always a surprise. Of course there was alot of trading going on . Also sent to hospital at China Beach for centipede sting ,Nasty, Met real cute Delta-Delta while there Bill 0331 2/1
LOL. Hilarious post Top, and they were K rats according to my dad and uncles.
I don’t recall any lima beans and ham oh, but I do remember “ham and m*****f*****s”. Couldn’t trade them if you gave them MPC’s to go with it.
No I never did. But when I was stationed in N.C. back in 1972, I was stuck on mess duty, opening C’s that were dated on the cases 1945. Another Marine and I were told to open them (lots of cases) because they were being used to make meat loaf for the day. Did what we were told, we all ate and no one died from it. To be honest, I don’t know what is was in the can, some kind of meat. 1972-1974 USMC
We always called that “Mystery Meat.” My kids tell me its also available in most school systems. Semper Fi!!!
While at “Liberty Bridge” 68-69 every few weeks we would get a supply of what we called “B” rats which included canned ground meat. We would also get some veggies like onions etc.. a few loaves of bread ( dead flies were optional in the bread) . We made a concoction similar to “Sloppy Joe”. Also would get canned corn,chilli without beans, and a various juices. We would share with anyone who happened to be around at the time. Would not last to long. Harry 1371
1972-1976 I never saw a date later than 1945 on anything we ate. I couldn’t believe some leathernecks would trade good C-rats for some of the stuff in the boxes. I still have a can of “pound cake” and some kind of swirl thing that has to be soaked in scotch to be eaten. I spent weeks at a time calibrating tubes from Army and Marine artillery from 105 to 8” and 175mm. We always took about 10 bottles of hot sauce each but still only needed a feather duster for a$$ wipe. Thanks to my DI’s SSGT Blankenship Sgt Davis and Sgt McPheters for all they did for us.
Still have one P-38 on my key chain, it’s first home also was my dog tags! Wish I had kept Charlie Cook book from Tobacco!
Stay safe during this China 19!
Interesting story, as a Doc in FMSS at Pendleton in 1968 we got some old rats too, because they were dated in the 50s, everyone complained they were from Korea, especially since they only contained crispy non filtered gigs and gum, when in fact they weren’t from Korea they were from 1958 or later as they were actually Meals, Combat individual and came in a neatly contained cardboard box with usually 3 dark olive drab cans and a condiment package, which had coffee sugar, occasionally chicklets or chewing gum and TP along with Cigs, a John Wayne and I think matches, etc. In the Nam we got usually got upgraded M, CIs with filtered cigs, not unfiltered. As I was at An Hoa Combat Base with the 1st Engineers, my hooch got a 12 pack of C’s at lunch, they still had the chow hall open, but gave us the option not to eat there as it was often a target of mortars and rockets, what my guys didn’t eat we would save back and trade with the 1st Recons, who were across the drainage ditch from us, as they usually got Long Rats, freeze dried version of C’s on patrol and got tired of them, it was usually 6 M,CIs to one pack of Long rats, my favorite were Rice and meat and Spaghetti and meat sauce, we kept the dessert cans for our future use!! Did yours come with a key to open the side of the can or like the Army air Corp, which were the first to use the P-38s, what type of cigs were provided, were they cartooned or individual cans, with paper labels or painted in a golden color, etc. Thanks Doc Paul 1949 Alpha and Bravo Cos, 1st Engineer Batt. 1st MAR DIV RVN HM3/USN/RET 1970
At An Hoa 67 – 68 at a shit load of c- rations before the mess hall was built and after we started rolling guns. I have eaten ALL of the replacement type meals that have come out since then and I don’t see how today’s Marines can survive on that garbage.
The only way to eat ham and mother’s, was to empty them into your canteen cup, with some broken up John Wayne Crackers and the cheese in small round tin, half a bottle of Tabasco sauce , use shear tab and you had a good casserole.
I was at Camp Evans in December ’66 and January ’67 with Co A, 3rd Shore Party Bn located next to the LZ. A buddy of mine and I usually stood watch together in the wee hours of the morning. One post was around the LZ and the other was around the tents and the supply area. It so happened that the two posts met at the C-Ration dump. Needless to say, some meals went out without a can of fruit or cake in them. So…if you were at Camp Evens along about that time and didn’t get a can of fruit or cake in your meal box, I’ll take the blame……Bob 1381 Vietnam 66/67.
About time you fessed-up! Semper Fi!!!
mmmmm…..Pound Cake soaked soaked with Fruit Juice tastes sooooo good at 0200.
STAY IN, STAY WELL AND WE’LL BEAT TODAY’S ENEMY – COVID-19…..Bob…..1381 Vietnam 66/67
Nice to see posts from so many Vietnam vets. Love your stories. My dad rest his soul never talked about his time in Vietnam. He would probably have a few stories about c-rats too. Love you guys! Semper FI.
was at LZ Loon June 68,we had c rats dated 1944!!!!