What Did WW2 Soldiers Eat | US Military Food Rations | Documentary | ca. 1943
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Published 2016-07-23
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It is a (circa) 1943 documentary made by the United States Office of War Information about the US military food rations during World War 2. It explains the importance of good nutritious food for the US soldiers. Dehydrated and process food was developed during that time. A very informative production of its time.
Historical background / context:
The United States military ration refers to various preparations and packages of food provided to feed members of the armed forces. U.S. military rations are often made for quick distribution, preparation, and eating in the field and tend to have long storage times in adverse conditions due to being thickly packaged and/or shelf-stable. The current ration is the Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE).
Field Rations during World War 2
After 1918, the US army ration system went through several revisions. By June 1945, the US Army had 157 nutrition officers. Between 1941 and 1946, more than 30 field ration surveys were conducted to assess health, performance and nutritional status of troops in different environments. The main rations were:
- A-ration: Garrison Ration. Fresh, refrigerated, or frozen food prepared in dining halls or field kitchens. The most valued of all rations.
- B-ration: Field Ration. Canned, packaged, or preserved foods normally prepared in field kitchens without refrigeration.
- C-ration: Individual Ration. A complete pre-cooked, ready-to-eat canned individual meal.
- K-ration: Individual Ration. Designed as a short duration individual "assault" ration for paratroopers and other specialized light infantry forces.
- D-ration: Emergency Ration. Bars of concentrated chocolate
combined with other ingredients to provide high calorie content.
A-rations were generally whatever meat and produce could be obtained locally, so there could be great variety from one theatre of operations to the next. B-rations were generally used when there was inadequate refrigeration for perishable A-rations. The composition of the D-ration did not change much throughout the war but the C-ration developed many variations.
A- and B-rations were only served at bases or established camps in rear areas as they require cooking. C-rations could be eaten hot or cold and required no special preparation or storage, so these could be served almost anywhere.
During the war a new ration for assault troops, the 2,830 calories K-ration, was developed. K-rations were originally intended to be used as short duration rations for only 2–3 days, but cost concerns and later standardization led to its overuse, contributing in some cases to vitamin deficiencies and malnourishment.
There were various other special rations developed for specific circumstances, like:
- Mountain ration: 4,800 calories.
- Jungle ration: 4,000 calories.
- The Assault Lunch: Chocolate bars, caramels, dried fruit, chewing gum, peanuts, salt tablets, cigarettes, matches, and water purification tablets; total of 1,500–2,000 calories.
- The Assault ration (Pacific Theater): 28 pieces of assorted hard candy, chewing gum, cigarettes and a chocolate peanut bar.
What Did WW2 Soldiers Eat | US Military Food Rations | Documentary | ca. 1943
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All Comments (21)
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"superman vitamin pill" yeah, I think thats called methamphetamine.
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Back when cigarettes were considered as important as food.
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The Army being the Army put an incredible amount of research into making a chocolate bar that was both hard to chew and tasted bad.
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Here is the actual priority when it came to military rations (and largely still does). 1. Price 2. Calories per ounce. 3. Compactness. 4. Nuitritional value. . . . . . . . 157. Taste.
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The look on his face when he says "Its good eating..." He knew the truth... LOL
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I'm eating a can of Spam as I watch this to make it more realistic......
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My cousin was morbidly obese when he was drafted in the Vietnam War. He wore a uniform with no name or rank. He was given various diets for a year and a half in a government experiment to study weight loss. He was nearly ideal body weight when he got out. He always believed that he got the better of that deal.
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The C rations we ate in the mid 60's were dated 1943 & 1944 mostly, they were still good. The cigarettes were a bit stale and the chocolate bars were hard and kinda chalky looking but we ate em. Anything in a sealed can was still fine, I've still got my P38 can opener.
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Somewhere in WW2 "Let's put this on to the tray" "Nice hiss"
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why the fcuk old documentary always fascinating to watch than todays national geographic
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I worked 20 years in the Army from 1970 to 1990 in vehicle maintenance. The Cooks were the hardest people that worked that hard ALL the time, not just in war time! For the last 14 of 20 years, I was the Platoon Sergeant of the Headquarters Platoon that included the cooks. I also kept their trucks and trailers in working order so I think I can speak to their service!
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The late great Steven Ambrose wrote about this in his books on WW2.He said draftee's from the city got a pleasant surprise because they got three meals a day with meat at each meal.The first time a lot of them had a steak was in the service,the farm kids didn't have that problem.
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My dad was in the army during World War II, and he always told us he was knee-deep in blood for the entire war. He was stationed stateside, and assigned to the stockyards in Chicago, where he was a meat and dairy inspector, owing to the fact that he was blind in one eye.
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You have to love how positive these films are. The WWII generation, almost lost now, was one of the best America had. I worked with a lot of them at the VA and Medical Center. Tough, non complaining, stoic. Some of the best people I ever met and never selfish; they thought of others; something we have lost.
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Seeing this makes me think of the scene from Band of Brothers when Frank Perconte as a proud Italian, is offended by their field meal. "- This isn't Spaghetti... It's army noodles with ketchup."
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My dad served in the pacific and told one of his buddies if he got home he would never eat another leftover. And he never did. Mom was a great cook and every meal was fresh cooked.
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And the result of all this research? The veggie omelette.
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One of my uncles was a Tanker in WWII and he wanted a fresh egg every morning every day after until he passed away in 2002. He said the food in North Africa was terrible and things didn't get better until they got to Italy and the rest of Europe, then they could trade, barter or hunt for better food.
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7:27 “good eating” after he took the smallest bite
