Army Chow 1940 - 1970

[m60a1d66]

Army Chow In Bivouac Training from 1940's thru the 1970's. See the similarities in 3o years of feeding soldiers.

1940's.

[m60a1d66]

Just now, m60a1d66 said:

Army Chow In Bivouac Training from 1940's thru the 1970's. See the similarities in 3o years of feeding soldiers.

1940's.

 

1950's

[m60a1d66]

Just now, m60a1d66 said:

 

1950's

 

1960's

[m60a1d66]

1 minute ago, m60a1d66 said:

 

1960's

 

1970's

[The Rooster]

It pretty much stayed that way through the mid 1980's when we stopped using mess kits and were

provided with paper plates and plastic utensils. This I did not mind as I always had to silence my utensils

in my mess kit from banging around inside my ruck sack. Not having to carry it any more was a blessing.

And the food in the field... I could get my scrambled eggs with a giant mosquito looking things laying dead in

it and pick it out and keep eating my eggs.

Dead bugs were no problem. Hunger over-road any thoughts of disgust and not finishing it..

You get pretty hungry in t he field.

And the coffe was brewed by pouring grounds into a big aluminum kettle of boiling water. I always

ladled some coffee grounds into my cup to chew on at the end of the cup.

Like wise, bugs and leaves mattered not a bit.

Hot chow in the field was a luxury to me. It always beat C Rats and later

the MRE's. I never liked the MRE's. Food on an Army Base was always good!

And there was plenty of it. Incedible amounts of food were wasted daily on Army bases.

Not entirely wasted as the un eaten food was collected and sold or given to farmers to feed hogs.

But a lot of it went un eaten daily.

Things you noticed while in. Im sure others saw the same thing on major Army Bases. If you

did KP, you saw the wasted food.

[irish]

A mixture in the early to mid 70’s… If you were not in the field you ate at a mess hall off of trays.. While in the field you could get C rations or a hot meal brought out.. The mess truck was a popular place in the field… I did not mind C rations… Always a mystery what you might get..The C’s at this time had been canned and packaged in the 50’s… Hot chow at times in your mess kit.. Everything was plentiful and that is what mattered… If we were going out in the field for several days I would always augment with stuff purchased at the PX.. Vienna sausages in a can, crackers, cheese etc..

[The Rooster]

In my Company we had cooks who set up and cooked in the field.

1-131 INF 33rd Brigade.

I too liked the Crats.

And like you my rucksack had a bit of canned goods hard candy etc.

I distinctly remember craving a cold coke over ice every time I was in the field.

Living in the field made me appreciate home.

 

[12thengr]

"Army beans and Army gravy, gee I wished I'd joined the Navy". Chow in the field, 1970's style.

[Rhscott]

Really no big surprise as only the Mermite can styles changed and the Army changed field stoves once between 1940 and 1970.  The actual rations themself remained the same, Class A or B for the most part with a smattering of Class C.

The big changes happened in the 1980s and 1990s with the shift to premade heatable large portion rations that required little prep.

[Persian Gulf Command]

Fort Bragg, War Games Aggressors Unit, c. 1949

 

 

[Rhscott]

11 hours ago, Persian Gulf Command said:

Fort Bragg, War Games Aggressors Unit, c. 1949

 

 

Uggggg.  I can feel the heat and red bugs now…..  Great pictures from a uncommon time 1949.