The Chow Line

13/06/2024

The pieces to some projects a very long time in the making are finally falling into place. I have several manufacturers both local and across the United States who have completed prototypes of components to these projects, and more importantly are capable of producing these for me in large quantities. Though the final projects are still a few weeks to a couple months out from completion, I will be posting them one by one as they are made available.

Suffice to say I am genuinely excited, so stay tuned.

14/03/2024

$400!!!!

Well, I had no idea people were willing to pay so much money for a reproduction.😁

Someone is about to learn an expensive lesson here, but this is a reproduction made by Rob Lahini (spelling?) in the early 2000s and used in movies/ TV series such as "The Pacific" and found in many museums. A fantastic reproduction, and something that provided an inspiration for the work I do, but certainly not an original. All of his were marked Arcadia Baking Co (a fictitious mfg of his own creation) and most (not all) did not feature the score lines or tab for the key opening feature like an original would.

Guess I need to begin selling mine for more, heck, I'll cut them a deal, two repro M units for $400 😂

Single can as shown. Has wear and minor flaws as shown. Marked by Arcadia Baking co. with 1942 canning date. See photos.

02/03/2024

Here's a fun one for you all, right out of the collection.

1952 Coleman 252 Lantern stenciled for "Mess" use.

I don't only collect rations, I also collect military gas stoves, lanterns ,and civilian camp stoves. Pictured is my 1952 dated Coleman 252 lantern, paired with a 1952 dated M1950 stove, and 1952 dated Ration Individual Combat 24 hour ration box and a 1952 dated RIC M Unit sitting on top the stove. The gas can is the third and final pattern of 1 quart fuel can issues with these lanterns. It is not dated, but based on paint is likely from the mid to late 50s. This lantern is marked for "mess" use, which is really why I nabbed it as it has a great spot in my Korean War ration collection. The pump is seized up, as is the adjustment k**b. I intend to restore this to operational condition.

28/02/2024

Korean Cardboard Collection!

Alright, this certainly is not all of my Korean War era cardboard, but this is some of my more favorite pieces. As many of you have seen I have made reproductions of many of these rations in the past complete with filled accessory packets, cans, and spoons. I have been working on building my pattern collection, and a lot of research has gone into this era of ration. I enjoy finding different patterns of items, which resulted from different manufactures interpretation of government specs. It turns out to be my favorite, mostly because of all the bits and bobs included in the FPIA and RIC/RCIs.

At some point I'll take a group pics of all the canned items, accessory packets, fuel tablets, etc, but that requires a few more totes and boxes be hauled out of storage, so maybe another day. Till then, enjoy these pics.

PS, my favorite box is the 1949 dated C-3 master case, and the square RICs, took years to find them. Oh, and the 1953 dated pocket stove box is fun as well.

28/02/2024

Good Morning!!!

I have certainly not been keeping up with posting these past couple months, but I want to say thank you to everyone who spots these FB bots that come in to clutter up my page. We had about 4-5 this morning bombard various posts, and when people spotted them, they tagged me so I could remove them, I sincerely appreciate your help and those spam bot profiles are all now banned from the page.

Now, onto some fun business, I am getting ready to do a small run of some WWI items, some old, some new, and will be posting those around mid April, so keep an eye out. Till then, here are a few pictures of some new original items added to the collection, that will be used as patterns for reproductions. The square RIC box is particularly fantastic because it is the first dated example I have ever seen, and this one is dated 1952 which answers a burning question as to when this square packaging was actually produced.

17/09/2023

I like experimenting with different methods of displaying/ preserving both original and reproduction pieces in my collection. I have created cutaway replicas, exploded view replicas, diagram replicas, etc. But when it comes to displaying the contents of originals, one of my favorite methods is to pack a rations original contents in clear packaging. Part of the mystery of studying rations is in discovering how the contents packed within were arranged.

Below are some original and reproduction examples of items from my collection where I have re-packed the contents in original packaging to display the methods on which they were packed, as well as the different layers of packing material.

26/08/2023

TM 10-412 Army Recipes, 1946

For those interested in military ration recipes, the War Department manual TM 10-412 Army Recipes printed by the War department in 1946 is a wonderful look into the meals prepared for American soldiers during WWII. The material covered in this manual deals primarily with preparing fresh meals for mess in a field kitchen or camp kitchen, but also includes sections on preparing B rations, utilizing leftovers, and special instructions for dehydrated foods.

All of the recipes are measured out for large serving sizes of 25, 50, 100, etc. But, by dividing these servings into more manageable quantities for home use, most anyone can replicate the majority of these recipes in a home kitchen. Original examples like this one in the Chow Line collection can be found online for $20-$50 on places like e-bay. However, digital copies can be found easily and I have uploaded a PDF copy to the Chow Line google doc for free download.

TM 10-412 Manual PDF Download Link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jR5JSQup_Y25cklIE7-q2MfZZX7Hxe66/view?usp=drive_link

16/01/2023

2019 HDR and MRE Oatmeal Cookie, a look and taste.

One of subjects I specialize in is American humanitarian intervention in the early twentieth century. While I mainly focus on studying power structures, politics, social structure, influence, the state, private enterprise, coercion, and culture, food relief works its way into nearly every aspect of this topic and turns up as either the focus, or immediately adjacent to all of these, which is where the Chow Line comes in. I recently decided to purchase a 2019 production case of Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDR) as currently distributed by the American military to people abroad so I could study up close contemporary iconography and food related to military food relief and distribution to non-western peoples. An unexpected development in my study of these rations came in the form of a fun taste test comparison between HDR components and MRE components. As the HDR utilizes all of the same packaging and food technologies as MRE’s do, it makes sense that there would be overlap in food components. However, there is not so much an overlap in food components, as there is the issuance of similar, but distinctly different food items designed to fulfill critically different roles both nutritionally and psychologically between the HDR and MRE. This difference takes the form of ingredients and preparation, in that the components are either totally vegan, or very nearly vegan with an incredibly limited amount of dairy, but no animal proteins otherwise. Whereas with MRE’s animal products constitute a major percentage of most components. HDR’s are made this way so that the food therein may be consumed by people from as broad a range of cultures as possible. This accomplishes a number of things, it simplifies field logistics, storage, distribution, production supply chains, and helps to further westernize/ Americanize recipient peoples to ultimately make them more amenable to American influence and oversight. This has been a major component of state lead humanitarian food aid throughout the twentieth century, and continues to be so with modern HDR production.

I have eaten a few full HDR rations at this point, and found them all very palatable. However, I decided to compare and contrast one component, the Oatmeal cookie, which is present in both the MRE and HDR. This is not the only “shared” component, but it is the first one I am comparing. My conclusion is that the 2019 HDR Oatmeal cookie is actually a superior tasting and looking food item that performs its psychological and nutritional role better than the 2019 production MRE Oatmeal Cookie, I compared it to.

The HDR cookie (on left in silver package) was more complex, with better flavors, texture, and color. It tasted sweeter without overpowering other flavors, has a more pronounced oat flavor, the spices used like cinnamon presented themselves better in the flavor profile, and texturally resembled a softer less commercially produced cookie closer to what we might consider homemade, though still VERY far from that. The MRE Oatmeal cookie experience (on right in tan package) on the other hand was less desirable. Disappointing as the MRE Oatmeal cookie is one of my all-time favorite MRE components, but less so now that I have had an HDR cookie. I attribute this to the HDRs limited use of oils and animal proteins.

By comparison the MRE cookies oat flavor is much more subdued, as are the spices used with the sweetness overpowering the entire flavor profile as if to draw attention away from the oatyness. Its texture is overall less like a conventional cookie one might buy from the store or make at home, and resembles something more akin to a vending machine product. There is also an oily residue left in the mouth, the fingers, the tounge, and on the lips that changes the flavor on the end of the profile creating a general unpleasantness for the pallet making it taste cheaper by comparison to the HDR cookie.

Psychologically I think that the HDR Oatmeal cookie accomplishes its mission of morale boosting and comfort better by mimicking a more traditionally cereal grain taste dominated food item eaten by cereal grain consuming cultures farther removed from industrialized food systems. The MRE Oatmeal cookie on the other hand is more likely to remind soldiers of cheaper mass-produced foods rather than invoke feelings related to home meant to boost morale.

I am not going to compare their nutritional qualities as both are developed for distinctly different purposes, are part of two different food systems, and are meant to work in conjunction with other foods that also meet different nutritional needs. I suspect however that as a stand-alone food item, the HDR Oatmeal Cookie is more nutritionally dense, though is contains forty less calories.

While this post will likely be a one-off discussion on modern rations, my scholarly study of state produced/ distributed humanitarian food aid continues. The HDR is proving to be a rich intersectional component when studying contemporary American humanitarian food aid.

Good Overview of the HDR here: https://www.mreinfo.com/other-us-rations/current-us-rations/humanitarian-daily-ration/

15/01/2023

What awaits the Chow Line in 2023?

This year will be a productive year for the Chow Line, with several important projects coming to fruition along with what I hope will be a short series of ration related scholarly articles. To start off the year however, I want to make an important announcement.

I know that many people who follow my page work for museums, and while places like usajobs.gov and Indeed.com are great for job searching, this page is an ideal platform to announce that I am now actively looking for museum positions and want to begin a career in museums working for a dedicated singular institution.

It has been a long road, but now that my master’s degree in history is finished, I am ready to move out of my current profession as restoration ecologist and begin a long-term career in the field of museums and professional history. My academic research and scholarly interests focus on a spectrum of early twentieth century American topics related to the military, labor, humanitarianism, pandemics, Americanization, and progressivism, in addition to subsistence technologies (rations). I am an incredibly versatile candidate for a wide range of museum positions thanks to my arrayed skillset as a historian not only specializing in scholarly research, and writing, but one which expertly conducts museum work related, but not limited to, to exhibit design and construction, replicas, mount making, project management, managerial duties, social media management, graphic design, digital accession, and cataloguing.

My work experience and resume are as rich as my reference list, which includes executive museum directors, archives directors, university department heads, and leading historians in a number of fields. I hold three history degrees, an M.A. in American history with a public history focus, I graduated Summa Cum Laude, top of my class, with a B.S. in History, hold a minor in anthropology (archeology and cultural focused), a history focused Associates degree, and will pursue a doctorate. I have conducted museum internships for three nationally recognized museums in different parts of the country where I have helped build and design exhibit spaces, handled and mounted artifacts, worked with archival systems, and have ample experience reconstructing specialized contemporary examples of collection artifacts for public display and educational purposes as well as writing educational programs. I have been awarded first place twice for my exhibit work, second place once, and have spoken on my scholarly research on WWI American humanitarianism at three history symposiums. I have been a lead oral historian for my university’s cornerstone 125th anniversary celebrations, built a fully digital online publicly accessible archive and exhibit space, and have co-led the development of the largest web based American labor history data aggregation project to date. I spent two years teaching collegiate level history classes as a university graduate assistant and was on the planning committees for two history symposiums. I possess specialized skills related to carpentry, painting, fabrication, and design including graphic, allowing me to construct stationary and portable exhibit pieces while also possessing the necessary skills to research and write scholarly pieces for use in exhibits, promotional materials, or publication. I have also created public history education programs/ talks for museums, conducted numerous public historical presentations, and engaged in living history for twenty years.

Learning new design programs, methodologies, and industry practices comes quickly and naturally to me meaning there is no skill or duty required that I do not already possess or may quickly and proficiently learn as needed. Be it the use of new construction materials, teaching methodologies, research techniques, utilizing new archival or cataloging systems, or employing technology like computer design programs, I work well when challenged and excel in such demanding environments.

Message this page or e-mail me at [email protected] if your museum has an opening and I will gladly forward my resume, personal contact information, and any letters of recommendation. I am also able to relocate to any part of the country and welcome the opportunity to work for a range of institutions that focus on anything from cultural history to military history while conducting a range of duties.

Attached to this post is a small selection of photos of displays I have built, me presenting on my scholarly work, or items made for museum exhibits some of which are ChowLine related.

24/11/2022

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

You know what I'm thankful for this year? This original opened tin of 1918 produced hard bread! It has taken years to find an example already opened to study, and study it I have. Keep an eye out this weekend for a full write up on this artifact to include measurements and even a little taste test nibble.

Hard bread was a quintessential food item of the American Expeditionary force in WWI making up a significant portion of what was called the "Reserve Ration" issued to each Doughboy. Comprising of four 8.oz boxes of hard bread and two to four tins of beef/ vegetable components, this ration was carried in the haversack and only eaten when supply by field kitchen was not possible. The hard bread itself was made from mostly flour, water, and salt, with some manufacturers adding a little sugar or lard. The rigours of modern warfare exposed a weakness in ration packaging/ issuance when it was discovered that poison gas permiated the fiberboard boxes hard bread was initially packaged in. To combat this, starting in 1918 hard bread was packaged in metal gas proof tins which protected the contents from spoilage by the elements and chemical warfare. Though little evidence exists to show these tins were issued in any substantial numbers before wars end save for a few found in archaeological excavations, we know that they did make it to France by November/ December of 1918 and early 1919 as many can be seen in post war dated photos of troops in camp or stockpiled in supply depots in both France and Germany. This ration also marks the American militaries first issuance of what could be considered a "modern" combat ration with the use of metal packaging for the bread component.

10/07/2022

Marine Corps Officer Type Haversack with Contents

(Primary Sources Linked in photos and Below)

The topic of this post is Marine Corps related and as the title implies focuses on the Officers Type Haversack, known to collectors as the USMC NCO Haversack. While not directly ration related, it does deal with mess items and rations, as well as intersect with my other passion, Marine Corps history. I wanted to include this write up here for people as I have posted it elsewhere and also because I have not really posted photos showing how rations were carried by soldiers.

Included are photos of a first pattern example from my collection with button closure, along with the primary sources discussing the issuance and use of this equipment as well as equipment plates showing the assemblage of the Officers Haversack with associated equipment. This haversack saw limited use pre and post WWI with some making their way to France in 1917 only to be dropped from field use by the time combat operations began in 1918. I am unclear as to its use post WWI, but by the mid-1930s it no longer appears in USMC Regulations indicating the Officers Type Haversack was no longer used. Original photos of their use in the field are difficult to come by. I have only seen one, if you are aware of others, please include them in this post (please provide citation for research purposes).

Concerning carried articles in the haversack, the regulations are as specific as they are vague. The contents list consists of mess ware and personal articles as decided upon by the wearer. It does not state if rations were also to be carried in this haversack but based on the assumption that it replaces the Pattern 1915 haversack, all articles typically carried in it not related to the bedroll were to be included. Based on the wording in both the 1922 and 1929 regulations the Officers Type Haversack was to be used with mills suspenders, a pistol belt with canteen, first aid pouch, pistol holster, ammunition pouch, and a separate bedroll in place of the entire Pattern 1915 USMC style pack system with extender. The officer might still be issued a Pattern 1915 haversack with extender and rifleman's cartridge belt, but not make use of either in place of the Officer Type web equipment and store the Pattern 1915 haversack and cartridge belt in a duffle bag or such for alternate use.

I made an attempt at determining exactly what could be carried in the Officers Type Haversack based on the 1922 and 1929 USMC Uniform Regulations and what Marines were issued. It states plainly in both that the Officers Haversack was to at least contain a meat can, spoon, fork, knife, and appropriate leather sheaths for them. The regulations state that all other items to be carried in it should be those needed to complete the officers duties and might include toiletry articles, clothing articles, or rations. The 1922 Regulations for the Pattern 1915 Haversack enlisted marines content list (minus associated items specifically for the bedroll) calls for the bacon can, condiment can, mess kit, utensils, utensil sheaths, toiletry kit, extra articles of clothing, and rations. It is safe to assume that any additional contents for the Officers Haversack may be pulled from this list and included in the haversack based on the users preference.

Given that the contents for the Officers Haversack were split between the haversack and a bedroll (officers style for bed or ground, or over the shoulder tent/ blanket), and the relatively small size of the Officers Haversack, the combination of issued/ personal items that can be carried in it beyond what is specifically called for in the regulations is severely limited. What follows is a guess as to what might be carried in the Officers Haversack up to 1917/ 1918. Given the removal of the bacon can, condiment can, and emergency ration from the USMC by the late 1920's what might have replaced those items in the interwar era is open for discussion and not covered in this specific post.

I assembled one reasonable set of contents based on one possible use and preference to access of items. That being said, since the required items to be carried in it are mess/ ration related, I figured I would carry that theme all the way through and pack the Officers Haversack to reflect this. It must first be said however, that when the regulations state that "rations" might be carried in the Officers Haversack that this likely does not refer to the "Reserve Ration" which consists of four 8oz boxes of hard bread and at least one 1lb tin of meat or appropriate vegetable (or bacon can). This is a large and bulky ration which can only be reasonably carried in the upper portion of the Pattern 1915 Haversack or in a shoulder bag as the whole of that ration does not fit inside the Officers Haversack. "Rations" might be a broad term that can also refer to the M1906 Emergency Ration which was issued in limited numbers to Marines such as those of the 5th Regiment in 1917 (according to an oral history interview in 1989 with Pfc. Albert E. Powis, 66th Co (C). 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment). "Rations" certainly however did refer to the bacon can/ condiment can combination. So, I packed this with the M1916 Bacon tin, the Condiment Can, the M1906 Emergency Ration, the mess utensils/ sheaths, and the M1910 mess kit. In the back pocket is a towel for use with the mess items and in the loop, I placed the guideline for the shelter half since it has many uses which may include hanging mess items or towels to dry after chow. These items totally filled the haversack and left little room for anything else.

In the front main pocket is placed the Bacon Can, Condiment Can, and a reproduction American Compressed Food Co. M1906 U.S. Emergency Ration that I made along with a fork, knife, spoon, and two leather utensil sheaths. The width and depth of the pack body in this section fits these items incredibly well in a standing configuration. In the second pocket in the body of the pack is placed the M1910 mess kit behind the other items. This is a perfect fit with little room for any other items. The mystery loop on the top of the inside of the pack has a tent guide rope attached to it, which may be used to hand mess equipment or towels to dry if not being used with a shelter half. In the outside rear pouch is placed one or two cloth towels. This outer pouch, which at first glance appears to be able to fit a mess kit, is slightly to small to facilitate one and to shallow to put the mess utensils in without fear of them slipping out the top. So, towels may be appropriately placed there or in the mess kit.

1922 USMC Uniform Regulations (search haversack): https://www.google.com/books/edition/Uniform_Regulations_United_States_Marine/v4LRGf_1CyoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=USMC

1929 USMC Uniform Regulations (search haversack): https://www.google.com/books/edition/Uniform_Regulations/hUBAAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=USMC

02/07/2022

Anyone going to the National Archives College Park Maryland location soon?

I have been working on a ration project recently, but to proceed with the scholarly portion I need the content of a file from the 1920-1941 Infantry Board Reports located in the National Archives that I cant access via the internet because it has not been digitized. I am looking to see if anyone who follows this page is an archivist, or offers professional record retrieval and copy services, that is going to the College Park Maryland location soon that can pull this file (below) and provide both digital and physical copies of it to me. I am located well west of Chicago Illinois, so as you can imagine I can't go there myself to pull this file but will pay someone for the service of doing so.

NARA File Link: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/7392382

24/06/2022

Yesterday's mail call brought some unexpected surprises. A fellow collector sent me a package with some awesome peices in it both USMC and ration related out of the kindess of their heart. As this person has worked hard to make information related to militaria and collecting more accessable to the public, it seems only fair that I do the same with the things they sent me since I also deeply value accessibility of information.

So I hope these photos and measurements help someone with some project of theirs. Here is the first item, a 1945 dated export 24 pack beer case from the Iroquois Beer company. Twenty-four cone top beer cans would have been packed in this case. It was used at some point by a soldier to ship war trophies home as indicated by the contents list written on the flap. Dimensions for the case are included in the last photos as well as an example of the can which would have been packed in the case (not mine).

23/05/2022

1940 C Ration Revisited

Thanks to the generosity of a follower of this page I was recently able to acquire an original 1940 production C ration B unit. This was the last major version of WWII C ration B unit I needed to complete my WWII timeline. With this example in hand, I decided to revisit a project I started a few years ago, which was to replicate the 1939/40 C rations packed in 4 ½ tall 15 oz. cans.

This reproduction (left) is patterned off the 1940 dated original (right). I have included a sample of original components that would have been packed inside the still sealed original. These internal components (coffee tin, biscuit, sugar tablet, and glassine disc) have also been replicated, in addition to the crimped Key, tab, and score lines. I have also included an original 1941 dated 3 ½ tall can along side the taller 1940 can to highlight the considerable difference in size.

A Brief Historical Overview (Source: Pg 19-38 https://books.google.com/books?id=LQ3hsdYvxdIC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0&fbclid=IwAR2Jv0ME0VJkslf3cJNQAxSv4eO6rT2Hy0CmzdyxdUwOlopiPntBQs9B3Wc =onepage&q&f=false )

While the first version of ration that would become the C ration was packed in a rectangular tin similar in size to the Spam cans of the period, the version pictured here, which was field tested and became what we know today as the C ration was packed in a standard cylindrical can opened with a key crimped to the lid. This is the first field ready C ration and marks an important point in American military subsistence technological development by establishing the form and function of American combat rations for the next forty to fifty years.

Officially adopted on November 1st, 1939, 200 of the new Type C Ration were ordered for field tests by the Army and set for issuance in February of 1940 with a further 200,000 more to be tested later that summer. Six cans in total made up the ration. Three B units were issued each containing nine biscuits (4.5 oz.), soluble coffee packed in metal slipcover tin sealed with tape (.5 oz.), and four paper wrapped sugar tablets (.3 oz.). Three M units were issued with the B’s consisting of a Meat and Vegetable Stew, Meat and Beans, and Meat and Vegetable Hash. Each meal was mad up of one B unit and one M unit, providing soldiers three meals per day.

At a production cost of $0.44 per unit ($9.09 in 2022 dollars) it was the most expensive combat ration produced to date due primarily to the higher quality of food components used in its production. Feedback as to the palatability and practicality of the ration was obtained from soldiers of the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Armies who consumed during that years maneuvers. Via a questionnaire prepared by the Subsistence Research Laboratory that contained twenty-nine questions critical information was gathered which ultimately affected all subsequent versions of the ration to come.

A considerable amount of feedback was obtained, and “comments ranged from critical to highly laudatory.” Some criticisms levied against it were that the B unit was bland, could use a confection, and would benefit from having a variety of biscuits within it. Many found that there was an excess of food and that the B and M units could be reduced in size which would reduce the weight of the total ration. Soldiers generally commented positively on the quality of the contents, though many found the M units to contain too many beans leading to gastrointestinal discomfort.

Not all M units however were produced to the same standard. It was found that production difficulties were encountered as many companies contracted to produce M unit contents simply could not produce a standardized product uniformed in appearance and palatability that met the requirements. Food quality would continue to be a problem which plagued the C Ration program through the war regardless of version. There were also issues with the cant itself. A key was crimped to the lip of the lid which was affixed to a tab on the back of the can and twisted to open it. In final washing of the sealed can, and in transport, it was found these keys frequently fell off and it was recommended that the B units have the key soldered to the bottom of the can, and the M unit key packed inside the B unit to prevent it from being lost.

In late 1940 these changes were implemented and the cans reduced from 4 ½” tall to 3 ½” tall going from 15 oz. to 12 oz.. This would remain the standard size of C ration cans until the late 1940’s as development of post war combat rations called for a wider array of ration can sizes to meet evolving needs in packaging and nutrition requirements.