Countryman & McDaniel -  The Logistics - Customs Broker Attorneys

"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"  

 

"Meals: Ready To Explode"

A Whole New Slant On The Military "Hot Meal"

The U.S. Navy

Fighting Barbecue Flames At Guam

March 18 2001

Countryman & McDaniel

 The Air & Ocean Logistics- Customs Broker Attorneys

"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"


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That Yummy Magnesium-Iron Alloy

The 2001 Countryman & McDaniel

Cargo Nightmare 4th Place Co-Prize Winner

Details Below

Page #1 The History

Page #2 The Explosion

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........"Meals, Ready To Explode"........

A Whole New Slant On The Military "Hot Meal"

The U.S. Navy

Fighting Barbecue Flames At Guam

18 March 2001

Page #1 The History

Page #2 The Explosion

A Tribute to The Humble MRE

Follow Our Story Below To A Rather Remarkable Event

MRE -- "Meal, Ready To Eat" 1970

Following about 150 years of lesser field culinary practices -- the U. S. Army "Field Ration C" was announced in 1939. It was subjected to stern field trials, from which emerged a range of criticisms such as : "the cans were too large & bulky; the meat lacked variety, was too rich, & contained too many beans"

Yet, there was agreement that the new "C Ration" was nutritionally adequate and was "one of the best field rations . . . ever issued to the Army." This was centainly a great adavance from previous times -- including such practices as sending seeds to some U.S. Cavalry units on the 1850's New Mexico frontier for growing their own food!

The "C Ration" continued to be be issued through all of America's military campaigns from 1940 (along with other special rations - see below) -- through the Korean War -- until the dawn of the Viet Nam experience in the 1960's

This "C Ration" had been a product from the laboratory of U.S. military culuinary sceince -- but overcome by technology in the passage of time.

By the early 1960's criticisms had begun to be received from troopers in Viet Nam -- there was a generation of American service personnel who followed "The Grateful Dead", & who simply demanded a better ration. The U.S. Army Quartermater Corps went to work -- with help from American backpackers.

Our History of The Army Ration

The History of U.S. Army Field Rations - an increddible story

U.S. Army Field "Rations - Type C" In Scale

Military Rations - Design & Development

Heater Meals Home Page

The Future of Military Field Meals - moving America forward

NOTE: Our favorite 1970's "C Ration"-- "Meal, Ready To Eat" (MRE) goodie was that "Fruit Cake" type thing (per label) -- you couldn't eat it -- but the little brown can was a perfect traiing device -- it saw distinguished service as a practice "hand grenade" -- like that little can in the picture above. On the other hand, "Pound Cake" was a treat.

But then, there was the most infamous of all U.S. Army "C Rats" -- the one -- the only -- "Ham & Lima Beans." There is no single military meal ever served which met with such hatred. It is perhaps because of this one meal that the MRE of the 1970's was known as "MRE: 'Meals Rejected by Ethiopians.' [Note: Not a cutural reference -- they were having a famine there at the time.]

Frankly when we were in the field & hungry -- our MREs were pretty good stuff. I liked the spaghetti. McD

 

Enter The MRE 1980

A "Wonderful" Box of Goodies

Including a Main Course, Fruit, Desert, Cigarettes, Toilet Paper & Condiments

The Modern MRE

The 1960's & 1970's Brought Culinary Breakthrough -- The "Meal; Ready to Eat"

The 1980's Brought Culinary Breakthrough -- The "Meal; Ready To Heat"

Flameless Ration Heaters (FRH) Fueled By A Magnesium-Iron Alloy

200 Years of American Military Culinary Science

Would Now Come Down To One Epic Struggle:

That Yummy Magnesium-Iron Alloy -- Vs. -- The Ocean

This Stoic Shipping Carton (above) Is The Central Character in Our Story -- On March 18 2001

Did You Note That Warning About "Water Activated?"

 

 From U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 15 May 2001:

"Situation: Flameless Ration Heaters (FRH) stowed onboard several Military Sealift Command (MSC) vessels have been identified as the source of elevated hydrogen gas (H2) concentrations in containers and cargo hold spaces. In most instances H2 gas elevations are barely detectable but in isolated cases the levels inside closed containers have entered the explosive range. One such container recently broke into flames on the pier after being opened and prepared for unloading."

 

This Is Intermodal Reefer Container # SCZU 866966 9

Upon Vessel Discharge At The U.S. Navy Supply Depot -- Guam

18 March 2001

Our Stoic Shipping Carton From The Previous Picture Is Laden Within This Stow

 From U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 15 May 2001:

"Background: Subject units are water activated devices for warming military Meals, Ready-to Eat (MRE). FRHs contain magnesium-iron alloy (Mg-Fe) and other powdered ingredients in flat High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pouch. The exothermic chemical reaction which warms the meals, produces hydrogen gas as a by-product. The addition of water is ordinarily required to cause the reaction to proceed. However, atmospheric moisture may be capable of penetrating the HDPE, causing a low grade reaction and the evolution of H2 gas. The production of a flammable atmosphere is very slow but H2 concentrations may occur inside containers and in upper reaches of holds where pockets of gas may be held."

"FRH units are usually packed together with the MREs, inside the individual menu bags. On one ship, all FRHs were removed from the MREs and stowed in refrigerated containers on the open deck. While this method of stowage removed the H2 gas generating problem from the holds, it concentrated the production of gas within the on-deck containers and resulted in concentration levels in the flammable range. MSC and the U.S. Army are investigating impermeable foil over-wrapping methods and the use of non-hydrogen generating heaters but these solutions will not be fully implemented in the immediate future."

The Load & Stowe Looked Good -- But What About That "Ocean Thing?"

It Had Already Made A Visit To Intermodal Reefer Container # SCZU 866966 9

 

 From U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 15 May 2001:

"Recommendation: Ports loading or receiving shipments of MREs and FRHs should consider requiring the monitoring of containers and holds in which FRH are stowed prior to movement of the containers or any activities which could introduce an ignition source. COTPs should advise ship operators that have FRHs aboard their vessels of this potential condition and, recommend the operators have procedures and equipment necessary to monitor the temperature and atmospheric contents of containers holding FRHs. For additional information on FRHs is the Coast Guard Liaison to MSC -- CDR Paul Gugg at (202) 685-5726.-- mailto: CDR.Gugg@msc.navy.mil Operational insights may also be obtained from MSO Guam which has been involved in the discovery & abatement of this problem on preposition vessels staged in its AOR."

 

>>> For What Happens Next <<<

Please Go To>> PAGE 2

Flameless Ration Heaters Gone Mad - BOOM!!

Intermodal Ocean Container # SCZU 866966 9 -- At Risk

In The Words Of New Orleans Chef Emeril

"Let's Kik It up A Notch" >>>>

Page #2 The Explosion

CLICK HERE FOR PAGE 2

 

 

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