War Meals: The History of Battlefield Rations
The morale of the troops is closely tied to how well they are fed. Napoleon expressed this in his now famous words: “An army marches on its stomach.”
Throughout history, feeding the troops has been a challenge for all of the greatest fighting forces, from the Roman legions to the hordes of Genghis Khan to Napoleon’s chasseurs. Here’s how they did it:
The Roman Legions
Roman armies hunted everything that was available. One source says soldiers were given one pound of meat daily, along with barley or wheat for carbohydrates. They were also given wine — a diluted version of what we’re used to — or something closer to vinegar that would help reduce bacteria in their drinking water. For their supply of fat, Roman troops used olive oil.
Continental Troops in the American Revolution
George Washington — along with his quartermaster and commissary general — had major problems feeding the Continental army. Soldiers would often go days without a ration, only getting a little flour and maybe some meat.
In 1775, Congress determined a uniform ration that included one pound of beef (or three-quarters of a pound of pork or one pound of salted fish), and one pound of flour or bread per day; three pounds of peas or beans per week, one pint of milk per day, one pint of rice per week, one quart of spruce beer or cider per day, and a little molasses.
The Civil War: Union Troops
The Union Army in the American Civil War had a standard ration: roughly three-quarters of a pound of meat, a pound of flour or cornmeal, some kind of vegetable and vinegar and molasses.
Over time that did not become practical; they began issuing hardtack biscuits called salt cakes, as well as salted meat and dehydrated vegetables.” These were made with flour and water and then dried so they’d last longer.
World War II: The G.I.
For U.S. Troops, there were two major types of rations during the World War II: the C-Ration (for combat troops) and the K-Ration (less bulky and initially developed for airborne regiments and messengers).
A version of the C-Ration had six containers in one crate. You’re going to have a main course — like franks and beans — cigarettes, canned fruit, chewing gum, chocolate bars, instant coffee, processed cheese and biscuits, along with toilet paper and a matchbook.
K-Rations would have three “meals”: a breakfast, lunch and dinner with four ounces of meat and/or eggs, cheese spread, biscuits, candy, gum, salt tablets and a sugary drink. There were also cigarettes, a wooden spoon and toilet paper.
Vietnam:[MCI] Meal-Combat-Individual
From 1958 to 1981, U.S. rations known as the Meal, Combat, Individual or MCI were issues to troops. In Vietnam, these were distributed to combat soldiers in a cardboard box, which contained 1,200 calories through a can of meat (like ham and lima beans, or turkey loaf), a can of “bread” which could be crackers or hardtack or cookies, and a can of dessert, like applesauce, sliced peaches or pound cake.
Modern Day: [MRE] Meals-Ready-To-Eat
The MRE went into full production in 1980, and MREs were in the field by 1983. The average MRE contains 1,200 kcal. When consumed three times daily, the average person’s caloric intake is 3,600 kcal/day. The MRE has undergone frequent developmental changes and now consists of 24 varieties of meals to accommodate diverse tastes.
Each meal contains an entrée, starch, spread, dessert, snack, beverage, hot beverage bag, accessory packet, plastic spoon, and flameless ration heater. The design of the MRE allows extended storage under ideal conditions (up to 130 months at 60°F) and easy, safe meal preparation.
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