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Marines will Share their Last Drop of Water or Food with Each Other

VietNam 1970, we had been having connect with the VC off and on for a couple of days; so when it became time for our resupply choppers to come in—they didn’t. Grunts understand, all too well, that choppers can be shot down with a lucky hit from an AK-47 or PRG round. Also, Cpt. Darling was finding a supply of water from local wells and such but it was the lack of C-Rations that was the bigger concern. Again, any grunt will tell you that you only carry what you actually plan to eat anything else was too heavy. If a chopper didn’t come in on schedule, it didn’t take long to run out of food. Which is what happen to us on this particular occasion.

Well, we’re Marines and we might fight with each other from time to time but share our last drop of water and in this situation whatever food we had. i was humping the radio for “Red” the third squad leader. We got into position that evening, some of guys had a can of whatever they saved from the last supply run but not much. Red got the squad together reached into his pack and brought out a can of sardines in mustard sauce that he had gotten from home.
He open it up and pass the can around for each of us to take a bite of sardines and someone had C-Ration crackers (not the best but who cares). I didn’t even know what the stuff was—never ate it before. But you know what? That was one of the best meals I had ever eaten!

I have since talked with friends about that experience who usually respond with “I wouldn’t touch the thing let only eat it”. I just tell them that they don’t know what being hungry is like. I doubt they know what they might do or eat if they were. Red’s action of sharing what he had has stayed with me over all these years. To this day, giving to the community food bank and working at them has been very important to me. I knew hunger until “Red” shared his last can of sardines with all of us. Hence the Marines motto Semper Fi—Always Faithful—to each other and the Corps.

Footnote: My favorite meal was to take the chicken noodle soup and pour the liquid out. Save the meatballs from another meal and put them in with the noodles. Then get some ketchup from one of guys and put it into the noodles. Meatballs, and noodles in ketchup sauce—MMMM—well maybe not anymore…..

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Comments

Pete C. - May 28, 2020

Ham and Mothers.. had to trade the jelly that came in that box for the tin of cheese that came with another meal. Scrape out the grease and mix in the cheese makes for a heck of a good meal. Also went about 7 days without resupply. My squad shared all we had left in those last few days before resupply. Can remember vividly passing around a cracker so each could at least have taste. Had to fill canteens from local wells….so many little things swimming around in just a cap full, that I used up to 5 halizone (sp?) (iodine) tabs in a canteen full. Went down like syrup especially with the daily ration of salt tabs!! To this day, I don’t like drinking plain water without lemon, lime or something more appealing in it!! SEMPER FI my brothers and sisters.. (Nam 66-67 and 69) H-2-5, E-2-1, and again to H-2-5.

Sgt. Edwards VN 67-68 - May 28, 2020

In 1967, we were in the Highlands, the weather got bad, we were socked-in for several days, choppers could not fly, to resupply us, or pull us out. We had more water than we would ever need, due to the rain, but ran out of food, we found a garden, where there was a few sweet potatoes, still in the muddy ground, we took and ate those little suckers, and they damn near killed us, it was probably the worse case of the sh–s, and belly aches, most of us had ever had When we did get resupplied, we not only welcomed the C-Rats, but the little role of sh– paper, inside!

Bob Maskill - May 28, 2020

When I was in the field, 57-60 my favorite was Ham & Lima Beans, then Beans & Wennies.

Vince Piquet - May 28, 2020

Leadership by example! Does not get any better.

the “infamous” Cpl. Murphy - May 28, 2020

we didn’t get resupplied for week, was completely out of food except for our condiments…..all we talked about was food. we made hot sauce soup to stave off the hunger…..hot water with hot sauce sprinkled in……..killed the appetite for a minute. when we finally got resupplied we had to hump down to the bottom of the hill to get the chow, wouldn’t or couldn’t drop on our position. all the way down and back up I’m thinking……Marines, always gotta do it the hard way! never opened the case upside down cause I wanted the spaghetti and meatballs……so sue me!

doc - May 28, 2020

…….nam ’69…..doc………..mom would send me root-beer kool aid, I’d put that in my canteen.

Harry - May 28, 2020

I do remember meals dated from the 50,s Do not remember corn beef or hot sauce in the meals,not to say there was’nt I just do’nt remember! Remember ham slices and my fav “Beans and Weenies” Harry

Sgt Robert L Sisson - May 28, 2020

When I was at Gio Linh we had a Sgt Randy Sholose that would mix a couple boxes of c rats in his helmet heat it up and split with the guys that threw in their c’s. Out Sgt D L King always turned the cases over also and DL always picked last. I’ll NEVER forget that guy.

Ed Grantham - May 28, 2020

The chicken noodles came with sliced peaches and pound cake that everyone wanted. when possible I would trade the chicken for the spiced (?) beef and keep the cake and peaches since I have never liked chicken. To this day I keep several small cans of sliced peaches in my refrigerator. When going through a ville we would pick green peppers to add a little spice to the meals.

Robert H Bliss - May 28, 2020

We did the same thing with turning the case up down. We would try to remember where certain meals where located. Was there a corn beef meal or did it look that bad? Also, I seem to remember that more then a few of the C-Rat were dated from the 40’s and 50’s or age is starting to work against me. Hot Sauce with the ham and eggs meals—I sure that’s what ruin my taste buds.

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