Topic: Army Rations
New Soldiers' Chow (1940)
British Tommies to Eat Rations Developed in U.S.
Lawrence Journal-World, Lawrence, Kansas, 11 March 1940
Washington, Mar. 11. (AP)—British "Tommies" in the French front line soon will be eating a new emergency ration developed by dietary experts of the United States army—and so will 65,000 American soldiers.
The British government, it was learned today, has placed an initial order with an Indianapolis firm for a consignment of the new canned "chow."
The Unites States army will give "field ration, type C" a two-day tryout during the big maneuvers in Texas next month.
The ration, designed for a possible three-day emergency during fighting, is packed in twin tin cans, each with its key opener.
Each man will carry one 15-ounce can of pre-cooked meat and beans, one of beef stew, on of meat and vegetable hash, and three companion cans, each of which contains six ounces of crackers, one ounce of sugar, and ¾ ounce of pulverised coffee, soluble even in cold water.
The new rations costs 70 cents a day (as against the present daily ration allowance of 40½ cents), but the price is expected to be reduced by quantity production.
The army is also experimenting with a super-emergency ration—a hard bar composed of chocolate, milk, soy bean meal, cocoa butter and other ingredients. Major Paul P. Logan, an instructor at the army industrial college, who holds the patent, made its taste such that men will not be tempted to eat it as candy.
In dire necessity, a man taking three four-ounce bars (each containing 600 calories) a day could be sustained for three or four days.
The new emergency rations are considered a big improvement, both in taste and food value, over the old bully beef and hardtack.
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