Ham & MoFos were beyond nasty. Some guys tried to doctor them with hot sauce and/or C-ration cheese. Absolutely nothing could help them other than when they became landfill.
I have seen the first photo many – many times. I have never gazed upon that second photo… and from now on, I will grab the eye bleach before making another sighting.
We had a name for these in Viet Nam… the name involved a rather nasty term. And, yes, they could (and did) cause gastric disturbances. We called them “Ham and Mother f—–s. Use your imagination or just guess. I do recall that there was a guy from Louisiana who just loved these, however. He’d trade beef steak and potatoes for them.
John Wear
Vietnam Tankers Association
C rats are one of my favorite subjects, but Ham and MF’s were always a last resort. I would have to have no other choice. Harry 1371
I agree last resort.
I would eat them only as a last resort. I would carry a couple cans around with me as a reserve and when needed mix them with water ,ham slices and lots of pepper and some sugar in my canteen cup made them edible for me. Yes some in the platoon did like them. There was a guy from somewhere in the south that loved them! Nick
Loved them, back then I was more into volume vs. taste. But was raised on limas so they did taste good as far as I was concerned.
i loved those things
loved them in the Nam
traded everything for them and the fruit cake.
My mother, god bless her, sent me a large bottle of Tobasco and I became the most popular guy in my squad at chow time.
I would go hungry if I ended up with them. Just eat cheese and crackers. I always carried spare can if something in my pack for emergencies of ham and mofos. 2 tours in nam I got my share of them. Always tossed.
Bryson 2/4 Magnificent Bastards. SEMPER FI
I was never a fan of Ham & MF’s either, but there were a couple of times that was all that was left. Main reason for eating them was due to desperation and hunger. It was always a surprise to meet someone who actually liked them. And, it’s not just a Marine Corps nickname. I have a good friend who is a retired judge and fine Christian gentleman, who served with the Army in the Mekong Delta, who still refers to the meal by that name.
Being from Texas and often having my mom prepare Ham and Limas for supper I felt fortunate when I could get a can of Ham and MoFos. Ate half, then smashed up the rest, mixed in some plastic cheese and crumbled up a cracker in it. Always had a spare heat tab to heat the mess up with. Didn’t matter if it was Nam, the Stumps, Pendelton, Kaneohe, where ever, my stomach was always, Happy, Happy, Happy when I could get a can of Ham and MoFos.
I was stationed at Camp Books and drove a forklift. A buddy worked in the Rations warehouse and would “supply” me with with items from broken cases. I looked forward to c-rats.
I was also at camp books. 67-68. Drove for H&S bn. Commander.
Yes, they were called that. I liked them. Whenever we came out of the bush & returned to Ross for a couple days of rehab I would go to the chow hall & see the cook. I would get a bottle of chili sauce & ketchup. When we went back out I used those condiments to doctor up my C-Rats. They made everything & anything taste good. I was the go to guy for those condiments & for the ” – paper I had taken from the outside heads on Ross.
Cpl. J.P. Sitek – 0331
Lima 3/7 & Kilo 3/5
LZ Ross – 70/71
After Ham and mothers, I still can’t stand Lamas to this day. Was with K 3/7 then 7th Marines Reg S-1 driver while at LZ Baldy in69.
I was “in country” during 69′ & 70′ with Lima Co. 3/5. There were very few times that I looked forward to C rats while in the bush. At the time these items were 20 to 30 years old. Those who had the opportunity, I’m sure, can remember the “cosmoline” like membrane on all the meat products.
Semper Fi
Mike Clark
How about Beans And Baby D___s. Yes one of The Many Names. Green Eggs And Ham.
1990 or 91 time frame Chicken A La King in the field and i found a beak in it. Almost broke a tooth. Could not look on them again. The ham slice smelled like cat food, i spilt some of the juice on my boot and it was days before it faded
I was a corpsman assigned to 1st Amphibian Tractor Bn. at Cua Viet in 1968. Our base was two and a half miles below the DMZ. Being only five miles from North Vietnam, we got incoming several times a week. When this happened, the mess hall was closed and we ate CRats sometimes three times a day. We would open the case and turn the boxes upside down and mix them up and pick one. The chaplain’s hooch was beside ours and he would join us in “dining”. One day he drew Ham and Mofos three times in a row. I remember this because he said “Damn! I drew Ham and Mothers again”. He wouldn’t trade with any of us although we offered. Nobody deserved a punishment like that.
H&M…Top of can had the label…..turn it over, label on the bottom, fire up the sterno, label on the fire and heat it up. Done, open can from bottom side (no label), eat the Ham and pitch the Mothers.
Done.
Cushing, Sgt, ’69 – ’75
I liked them, sure enough they were better than the powdered eggs and whatever that mystery meat they mixed in with the eggs. Whew NASTY!!
I loved them!!