They boiled our main course C Rat cans in those trash can water heaters. Spiced beef was my favorite and Ham and Lima Beans my least favorite. SHB, I never spent any time one of your M 1's, My short time spent in a tank(M60) was during one summer camp. I guess after 58 days, everyone smelled the same and nobody noticed.
That's what made it bearable! We all smelled alike!
I'll tell ya pards, that first shower (and it was from a 3 gallon canvas "bucket" hanging from the end of the gun tube) - in the desert, in front of God and everybody else - was the most glorious, comfortable, wonderful, fulfilling shower I've ever had! Kind of makes ya 'preciate the "little things" in life we take for granted!
T. Lawdog, I've had plenty of them boiled c-rats, too. I favored the beenie-weenies and the stuff they passed off as "stew."
Old Top, yer right, the Ethiopians rejected 'em, I b'lieve. And ya know whut - them durn Iraqi refugees, who didn't have any food or water, even knew what MREs were pork based - by the number on the cover. They'd come beggin', but MOSTLY they wanted - hold yer hats .... cigarettes. I had one jasper offer me a wad of cash
4" in diameter for a pack of smokes. I coulda come back a millionaire - if I smoked.