Just a couple of questions from a old vet

joeaf1911a1

Hi Guys; I'm a old ww 2 ETO vet, was a line company rifleman (dogface)
in the 3rd Inf. Div. Just kinda wondering about your food, and the likes of things. I wonder how these MRI's compare with our old C and K rations, what price do they charge for cigarettes and how obtainable is
the "drinkables" over there. Wont go into the women prospects there.
I guess the days of a small pack of cigarettes as we had in each K ration and a larger (slightly) pack in the C rations and a carton a week
when possible when on the line are gone. Its damn good to see a new
bunch of warriors take over each time to replace the old guys. Same as
we did from our fathers and so on. Hope you dont mind me kinda butting
into your forum this way . Wars are always the same. Only names, places and faces change. The rest stays the same.

n/a

Thanks for stopping in. I was hoping you'd show your face over here. I cannot answer most of your questions about the current conditions. I was there for the first gulf war. As for the "drinkables", we made our own wine. We also purchased something called sediki (sp?) from the philipino workers there. From what I understand, it was paint thinner and embalming fluid, mixed together and baked. That stuff would knock you on your butt...and you had a hell of a hangover the next day. You could not drink much of it before passing out. It used to cost $7 for a small water bottle of it. The cigarrettes have been done away with...the military no longer provides them. The MRE's pretty much suck. During Desert Shield, leading up to the war, we had some hot food catered by the locals from time to time. I have no idea what it was, but it could have very well been wild cats and dogs...seems like all the strays would turn up missing when the caterers were providing our meals. BTW...there were plenty of women prospects over there. I was messing around with two different officers, before I met my first wife there. The military is full of women now. The local women were off limits, but the military has plenty of them. Hope to see you around here some...[8D]

BTW...Thank you for your service. I wish we could have your generation back...running things in this country...and helping to raise a better future generation.[:)]

codenamepaul

Joe, it is an honor to have you present. Let's see... No smokes weren't available in the MRE's C-rats that I had way back in the beginning (87) were the last to see service. General concensus was they sucked, I agree. Barely worse than MRE's (c-rats without hydration) I like K-rats (western omelette my fav) No drinkables available in Saudi. Bahrain was a hoot tho' Africa had all kinds of hooch and so did everywhere else.

Comparisons-
Steel pot was far more utilitarian than Kevlar. Had one and used it for everything you did. Kevlar is ballistically superior, but never wore one on the aircraft.

E-tool is a POS compared to the one you used. I have one of those too.

Give me a metal canteen over plastic any day.

Boots were far better.

Newbies, boot looey's and staff officers- Senior NCO's, lifers and bababooeybirds are the one constant in an everchanging universe.

joeaf1911a1

Guys: Many thanks for the welcome. Just kinda wanted some comparisons in food, arms and equiptment. I know that all wars are always the same damn thing. None good. Was/are the equiptment and armament to your liking? To us the M-1 rifle (and the carbine and the Thompson) were the tops. No complaints at all in either from me. Boots, even after going from the old canvas leggins with field shoes to the 2 buckle combat boots was a wet dream of someone who should have listened to some old hunters and trappers about boots. Not to mention winter gear which was grossly inadequate and caused many non battle casualties. Until near wars end we had only 3 C rations. The beans and meat, the meat and hash and the stew. K rations were also only 3 kinds, Meat etc. cheese spread and meat etc.. Near wars end they did come out with a couple of other C rations. As far as drinkables, seemed each town or village we took had a good supply of these which we "liberated". Seems like things like cigaettes, drinkables, and food kept us goin back then. So thanks for allowing me to have a bit input here mow. Will not be a bother in the future.


Joe...you are no "bother". It's an honor to have you dropping in.