I served in Vietnam from 1966-1967. My favorite C Rat back then was the ham n lima beans. And ours were leftovers from WW2, Still fresh when we got them. I'm still trying to remember the sterno tabs we used to heat them with. Can't remember right now. Thanks for the vids, I look forward to them each week. God Bless you and thank you for your service.
I really really like the videos of you opening the really old ones 30-40 yr old ones. The new edible ones are good too but your reaction to the nastyness of the old ones are the best
I had this meal, around '82-83! I was a kid; my best friend's dad was Seabee in the reserves, and sometimes he'd let us have "C-Rat Picnics." A great memory you brought back to me-- thanks man!
I love watching these, I remember the MRE trades with my buddies that you were talking about in the beginning of the video lol it’s interesting to see what the MREs were in the 60s! Thank you for sharing this experience!
What a great video, I was so excited to see if anything in this MRE was still edible. I love the MRE peanut butter too, I wouldn't mind having some right now watching this video :)
We had our cases of rations turned over so you could not see what they were. I knew where my favorites were ! I got out of the army in 1976 and we were still getting smokes in the rations. The candy wrapped in the foil we called John Wayne bars. I have no idea why. Never did like the fudge . They reminded me of pure sugar. Thanks for sharing.
Hey guys, great video, as usual. I started laughing when Asa said that he wasn't gonna keep chewing his gum, and Me Ancient said yeah, but just kept on chewing!! LOL!! It's surprising the difference in technology as far as sealing cans has come in the last 50 plus years. I just wonder if they used a blast of either steam or nitrogen, to displace the oxygen, just before sealing the can, as they do today? Once again great video, keep 'em coming! Looking forward to the next one. God bless guys.
Glad you enjoyed it, Darryl. I opened some canned peaches (NOT MREs) from back in 2004. They were not good at all. I definitely have seen that canned goods have a life. TFW, as always, Darryl.
Amazing how the crackers from the B unit were edible just because the chocolate flavoured disc was wrapped in foil. Its so interesting to see what was in the old C rats, what was considered a good menu for a meal. I would have been so happy to find a tin of apple sauce in my ration if I was in the military while they were using C rats. Brilliant video again :)
We called the foil-wrapped chocolate disks "John Wayne Bars". It was kind of like a heath bar, with crunchy bits of toffee that, through a miracle of 1970's technology, when in contact with your stomach acids, would become a cork. Two john wayne bars were usually good to stop you up for at least 24 hours.
in 1969 basic training Fort Campbell Kentucky, I was issued Charlie Rats that had lucky Strikes in a Green package! The bulk of our "Cs" were from Korea with some WWII thrown in. In Vietnam got introduced to LRRPS, dehydrated meals, chilli con carne was great. Then came the MREs. It will all keep you alive, but fine dining it ain't!
This is a great video. Thank you for telling us of your experiences with the C rations. I am wondering if a reproduction of the C rations will ever be made.
Chris, if I hadn't had my brother and father pass away from lung cancer, I might be trying them. I think it would somehow be disrespectful to their memory to continue to smoke. TFW!
great video sir i remember my favorite mre meals over in iraq from 2001-2004 wish i could get ahold of them now in 2001 is mre country captain chicken so good in 2002 its was mre Chicken w/Cavatelli in 2003 it was mre Chicken Tetrazzini and in 2004 it was mre Chicken w/Thai Sauce ah the good ole days sempi fi sir keep up the great videos
Ok me ancient. I’m converted to truly enjoying your channel. I was skeptical at first because of safety concerns. Now I genuinely look forward to each new episode. Thank you
Great video. Wonder if the crackers are a hold over from Valley Forge? : ) As for tge John Wayne's I used to keep one on my Keychain when I used to work security. I kept a few can pasta ect in my trunk. I found out the hard way to keep it taped shut when in my pocket. Will cut into your thigh real easy when pulling the keys out. I would mind finding some of these just for the cigarettes. Not for smoking but for a collection piece.
Hello sir ! Thanks you again for the ration review ! This C Ration is a great one, no well conserved but I hope you enjoyed it and had big time fishing :) Maybe you can give the cig pack to a friend who smokes and had known this brand those days, or to a passionate guy, and compare it to the new one ? Or maybe give it away to one or your suscriber ;) Have a great day sir ! Be safe Aaron
reminds me of when another guy who tests old rations opened several of these, along with a platoon ration box from the Korean war, the only thing still decent was 3 full packs of camel cigarettes, and i think the B-units.
Nice vid, bronze star with v device on its way to you from the UK 🇬🇧 for eating some of that stuff ! Good grief ! Sell the smokes they are worth a lot of money on eBay for those guys who collect Vietnam ere memorabilia as they are getting super hard to find these days. Semper Fi marine.
Marcus, I have an idea for the smokes. I'll keep taking ideas and thinking about it until I open the last of the 12 meals with smokes....then we'll figure it out for sure.
Hey captain I was just wondering what do you and ace do when the food y'all don't eat do y'all throw it away or use for bait, if you didn't I bet y'all could use some for crawdads
Love how Ace has to tell you to not eat the stuff LOL I don't know of anything special to do with the cigs. I mean maybe a collector would buy them but smoking is gross and they are guaranteed to be stale. It would be no more or less healthy for you as a normal cigarette would be though. It isn't going to gain super cancer-causing effects by sitting on a shelf for 60 years though. I would put it on a shelf with some other memorable war stuff. If I served in the Army I would have a spot with my uniform on a manican and like my medals hanging up (assuming I got medals lol) and I set them there with all of that stuff just as a memento. A conversation piece lol
I love your videos but i cannot even watch this one because I'm broke and been wanting another cigarette accessory packet or especially a c ration itself in mint condition 😂
Joined in 1973 and everything there that stunk and was black, well I remember it when it looked pristine and my fav was the spaghetti and the green eggs and ham.
While out in the field without warm chow, we'd be issued the appropriate amount of boxes, usually for the next few days. I was in intelligence, and we often times worked in groups of 4 so we'd get, say, 2 boxes for 2 or three days and split them up between ourselves. We'd cut cards, high card picked first, and then keep going around until the last meal was gone. After that, the trading would begin. TFW, Lou Lou!
Halfway through, when some questionable "food" was heaved overboard, I began watching to see if any fish would appear belly-up. Take care as fish & game might be lurking nearby. 😉
I had heard that guys would put the peanut butter on the chocolate fudge discs etc for a poor man's Reese cup. Also heard that the hot chocolate mixed with the coffee instant made a good Army mocha
For future reference on M.R.E's you eat with the white fire tablets never open your food while that is going you need to poke a small hole in the top of the package of food for it to vent but never open fully the chemicals from the tablet get in the food which are deadly and can cause many problems thought I could help out love your vids
hey ancient just wanted to let you know something as i care about you and asa n love your vids, i watch other mre reviewers and when they open C, and K rations they wear protective masks and gloves because apparently the black mold is very bad to breath in or if u cut yourself on the can or have a open cut its dangerous and they said they learnt the hard way.... but they do it indoors maybe thats why? im sure you guys are fine but just something i wanted to mention ! much love
My Granddad was a p-47 pilot in ww2. He quit smokin luckies in the mid 80s just to find that he had cancer anyway. He just kept tellin me how much money he saved by quitting
I'm in the same city as you and ace, I would love to take those lucky strikes off of your hands if you are willing to part ways with them. never seen a pack with 3-4 in them.
shame they go bad like that , be nice to see a recreated original recipe version , I have a reproduction with cans you fill with modern food for reenactors but I miss the original flavors from the past
Sad that C's don't hold up thru time. I used to enjoy the diversity of the menu.... but when I was in 81-86 we got c's or dehydrated burgers or pork chops. But the weird part was they had beans and meatballs and spaghetti and frankfurters. Go figure. They folks in the lab must have had fun with the menu. The dehyds were actually pretty good. When they said we had burgers, I was surprised. The cooks really did a good job.... quite tasty
My grandfather saved a pack of camels from his world war 2 rations when he came back home, I think we still have them at my parent's house, along with some nazi medals and I think some old French currency that he brought home.
