Vintage mre,rcw,lrrp items tread

Discussions about US MREs and other US rations
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Scott-GA
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Re: Vintage mre,rcw,lrrp items tread

Post by Scott-GA » Fri May 28, 2021 8:32 pm

ChowLine wrote:
Fri May 28, 2021 3:52 pm
Adding my full set of 1979 Food Packet Long Range Patrol Rations to this thread. All menus, 1-8.

20210525_090628~2.jpg
ChowLine,

May I ask how the date was determined?

Best regards,

Scott

ChowLine
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Re: Vintage mre,rcw,lrrp items tread

Post by ChowLine » Sat May 29, 2021 9:26 am

Steve did a review of these and the lot codes on the inside components showed 1979.

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Scott-GA
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Re: Vintage mre,rcw,lrrp items tread

Post by Scott-GA » Sat May 29, 2021 1:41 pm

ChowLine wrote:
Sat May 29, 2021 9:26 am
Steve did a review of these and the lot codes on the inside components showed 1979.
ChowLine,

YouTube review or here?

I see a YouTube review of a Chicken with Rice LRP he indicates is 1979 but I didn't see/hear any info as to how he determined that. Maybe I missed it in the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjlsfiTtImY


Best regards,

Scott

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steve1989
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Re: Vintage mre,rcw,lrrp items tread

Post by steve1989 » Sun May 30, 2021 11:52 am

The matches give it away. Single title text on outer pack OD green LRPs are newer than repeating text/title LRPs. Those repeating title OD packs have the old style matches with the striker on the face of the matchbook. 1979 is the first year with the striker on the back of the pack. Repeating text LRPs are 1976-78.
Perhaps stocks of the old style match books were still being utilized until fully exhausted, but I've not seen this personally.

ChowLine
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Re: Vintage mre,rcw,lrrp items tread

Post by ChowLine » Sun May 30, 2021 4:05 pm

steve1989 wrote:
Sun May 30, 2021 11:52 am
The matches give it away. Single title text on outer pack OD green LRPs are newer than repeating text/title LRPs. Those repeating title OD packs have the old style matches with the striker on the face of the matchbook. 1979 is the first year with the striker on the back of the pack. Repeating text LRPs are 1976-78.
Perhaps stocks of the old style match books were still being utilized until fully exhausted, but I've not seen this personally.
That's what is was, the matches! The repeating text was 76-78, the cloth foil laminate packs for the MKI, MKII, and MKIII versions were 67-75, and the green bold text version I posted above was at made no earlier than 1979. I think the MKI came out in 66 though? Anyway, it would be really neat to see a comparison of one menu, from each version from 67- the present day. I have considered doing exactly that actually but with reproductions.
174564455_1371282126552788_8157562898606845793_n.jpg
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MKI LRRP Ration.png
https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/sea ... :gt54ks546

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Scott-GA
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Re: Vintage mre,rcw,lrrp items tread

Post by Scott-GA » Sun May 30, 2021 10:01 pm

ChowLine wrote:
Sun May 30, 2021 4:05 pm
steve1989 wrote:
Sun May 30, 2021 11:52 am
The matches give it away. Single title text on outer pack OD green LRPs are newer than repeating text/title LRPs. Those repeating title OD packs have the old style matches with the striker on the face of the matchbook. 1979 is the first year with the striker on the back of the pack. Repeating text LRPs are 1976-78.
Perhaps stocks of the old style match books were still being utilized until fully exhausted, but I've not seen this personally.
That's what is was, the matches! The repeating text was 76-78, the cloth foil laminate packs for the MKI, MKII, and MKIII versions were 67-75, and the green bold text version I posted above was at made no earlier than 1979. I think the MKI came out in 66 though? Anyway, it would be really neat to see a comparison of one menu, from each version from 67- the present day. I have considered doing exactly that actually but with reproductions.

Steve & ChowLine,

Thank you very much for this excellent information.



2021 05 26 - 01.jpg
In my Estate Sale purchase there appears to be one of these Green Bag LRP's that the bag had ripped. Since the outer package was already compromised, I didn't think it would hurt anything to pull out the contents and have a look.



2021 05 26 - 02.jpg
Accessory Packet for Menu 8



2021 05 26 - 03.jpg
Main Course inside its protective paper wrapper.



2021 05 26 - 04.jpg
Main Course with spoon and toilet paper stored in the fold.



2021 05 26 - 05.jpg
The Freeze Dried Chicken with Rice by Oregon Freeze Dried Foods.



2021 05 26 - 06.jpg
A clue! Hidden in the folds of the Freeze Dried package was this code: J024F



2021 05 26 - 07.jpg
This is a "decoder ring" chart I received from Mountain House (AKA Oregon Freeze Dried Foods) when I was researching the old Mountain House meals that were a part of this Estate Sale purchase. If Oregon Freeze Dried Foods used the same coding system (I'm betting they did) this meal was packaged on January 24, 1979.

Seems like pretty strong evidence that this LRP is a 1979 item but a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. If I have made some major blunder in my logic, please be gentle correcting me.

Best regards,

Scott

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Re: Vintage mre,rcw,lrrp items tread

Post by ChowLine » Mon May 31, 2021 2:18 pm

Scott I think you hit the nail on the head here, and I bet that date system is darn close as it lines up with what years it was previously thought these came from. I'll admit I have done little research with rations past 1970, and only just gotten into the LRP rations, so that date decoder is a great bit of information you turned up there. Well done.

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