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Early Dark Brown Bag MRE Food Packet Long Range Patrol Date?


mrrm
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I have some "Food Packets Long Range Patrol" MRE's in the older dark brown bag and was hoping to get an idea on the date of these first being produced? The ones I have are all sealed so I'm not sure of the exact contents other than the menu being listed on the packaging. When did the first MRE's come into service replacing the canned C Rations? And when would these Long Range Patrol rations in the early bags have been introduced, same time as the standard meals?

 

As a side note I do have a number of the earlier Vietnam Era "LURP' rations in the green canvas/foil like bags.

 

Thank you for any information you can provide.

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I was at Fort Lewis with the 9th Infantry (3/39th) in 1982 when MREs first started coming out and I remember that we were, at one time, given a LRP packet which was a bit larger than the normal MRE meal packet. It contained all three meals for the day. The 9th Infantry was a test division which means that we were one of the first units to be "tested" with the new stuff. Those first MREs were not real tasty back then. Hope this helps.

 

CG

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pictures may help of the lrp ration, but if its made by Cadillac its from about 1979 to 1982.

 

the first run of mres was packed in 1981,not shure when they was issued to the system but the marines had mres in 1982 in Norway and they was first run issue.

 

the green foil/canvas wrapped lrps are Vietnam period for shure,they started packing them in green plastic in late 1960s if im not remembering totally wrong.

 

cheers ken

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Only other printing or labeling that I found on the outside is:

 

Quality Packaging Supply Corp.

Rochester New York 14621

 

Thank you for your responses.

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When I was stationed at Ft. Richardson, AK in the very early 70s, we were issued the brown bag Long Range Patrol Rations as supplements to the standard C-rations. Soldiers would burn high amount of calories in the field in the winter time and C-rations alone would not provide sufficient calories. We would be issued 1 LRP for every 3 C-rations. If hot A's were provided in the field then LRPs would not be given. Each Platoon carried a case of LRPs in their Ahkio for emergencies.

Sorry, don't remember the dates on the LRPs because we didn't look, just ate!

 

BEAR

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I was in the 82nd abn. and got a few MRE's in grenada for the first time, thought they were pretty good at first but I learned to hate them.

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Thank you all for the information and insight that you've provided. BEAR that is interesting that you recall having seen these in the "early 70's". Could these Long Range Patrol Food Packets in the brown bag come into use before the standard MRE meals?

 

As a side note my good friend is an FFL Firearms dealer. In his business he comes across allot of military items. As we know many collectors of military small arms also are collectors of all the accessories for these weapons. Many also collect militaria or may even be "preppers". My friend always contacts me and gives me first opportunity to look at these "extras", not the firearms, as he calls them and offers them to me at great prices.These Long Range Ration packets along with a number of the green foil Vietnam era "LRP" rations all came from him recently. Same lot also included seven pieces of Vietnam era dated ERDL clothing all in unissued condition in larger sizes. He also gave me some "minty" unissued M-1956 web gear, which is of course common but still nice stuff in that condition.

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Thank you all for the information and insight that you've provided. BEAR that is interesting that you recall having seen these in the "early 70's". Could these Long Range Patrol Food Packets in the brown bag come into use before the standard MRE meals?

 

Yes, they were in use before the MREs. My first MREs where in 1984 at Ft. Lewis WA.

Before joining the Army I used to wilderness camp in the foothills of the Cascade mountains. I carried "MountainHouse" freeze dried meals for the weight convenience and ease of preparation. When I first ate the LRPs I instantly recognized the taste of the main meal as being a "Mountain House" product.

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  • 3 months later...

When I started this thread I had meant to ask if the accessory packet in these LRP's would have had cigarettes in them or had cigarettes been dropped by this date in time?

 

Thank you,

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