US Ration Spoons

[mreheater72]

I've opened three wax-sealed K Rations so far and none of them came with a spoon. I'm wondering if the spoons were in a special accessory pack for the unit or something to that effect.

Have seen in with the cracker and loose, not sure the difference

Here some K-Ration photos that show the wooden spoon. I´m not really "familiar" with K-Rations, so I´m not sure what are the other contents beside the spoon of the packs they were in (if I see right it is sugar, coffee, crackers, candy, ...)





(source of the last photo: ebay.com)

So long mreheater72

[housil]

I´m not really "familiar" with K-Rations, so I´m not sure what are the other contents beside the spoon of the packs they were in

Hagen, did you see that page ?
Scroll down to "MAKE YOUR OWN K-RATION INSTRUCTIONS KIT". There are three pictures of displayed K-Rations contends (with spoon)

[Ruleryak]

I just double-checked my three K Rations and there's no spoon in the wrapped up portion of any of them - at least not that I can see. I wonder why that is?

[donaldjcheek]

The original K-ration specifications did not include a spoon. The Quartermaster General pointed out logically that every soldier was already issued a knife-fork-spoon set with his mess gear, so a spoon was not needed with the K-ration. Unfortunately, the bowl of the issue spoon was BIGGER than the opening of the K-ration can.

Subsequently, the OQMG authorized the inclusion of a flat wooden spoon or "paddle" in 1944. This means it only began showing up in rations in 1945.

[mreheater72]

I´m not really "familiar" with K-Rations, so I´m not sure what are the other contents beside the spoon of the packs they were in

Hagen, did you see that page ?
Scroll down to "MAKE YOUR OWN K-RATION INSTRUCTIONS KIT". There are three pictures of displayed K-Rations contends (with spoon)

Olli, thank you for the link, that page is new for me .

The original K-ration specifications did not include a spoon. The Quartermaster General pointed out logically that every soldier was already issued a knife-fork-spoon set with his mess gear, so a spoon was not needed with the K-ration. Unfortunately, the bowl of the issue spoon was BIGGER than the opening of the K-ration can.

Subsequently, the OQMG authorized the inclusion of a flat wooden spoon or "paddle" in 1944. This means it only began showing up in rations in 1945.

donaldjcheek, thank you very much for the detailed and very interesting Information . On the one side it is a little bit funny that the soldiers should eat their rations with flatware that is to large for the cans, but otherwise it is regrettable.

So long mreheater72

[dirtbag]

The flat wooden spoons are very similar to the ones that come with ice cream in the small plastic cups in the USA...

[mreheater72]

The flat wooden spoons are very similar to the ones that come with ice cream in the small plastic cups in the USA...

Yes, I guess you means those ones :

http://www.perfectstix.com/store/Ice-Cream-Spoons.html

[donaldjcheek]

For anyone interested, here is the original Quartermaster specification for the K-ration spoon. From C.Q.D No. 28G, dated 31 October 1944.

Spoon or Paddle, Wood.

The spoon or paddle shall conform to Type I of Dwg. BW-88, Spoons, Expendable, Wood. It shall be made of smooth, tightly cut veneer, and the edge shall be cleanly cut so that there is no roughness or splintered grain. The spoon or paddle shall be dried to a moisture content of not more than 4 percent at the time of manufacture and shall contain no knots, burls, bark pockets, splints or checks. Selection for color of wood is not required. The following defects will be permitted:

(1) Light stain which does not obscure the grain of the wood
(2) Birdseye or bird pecks, providing grain is not loosened to form an open defect.

The spoon or paddle shall be made of any of the following species of wood:

Birch, paper (white), sweet or yellow
Beech
Maple, sugar or black (hard), or red

The spoon shall be packaged or sealed in a suitable paper sleeve. The packaging shall be performed under modern sanitary conditions in such a manner that either the spoons are not touched by hand after the spoons have been heated to 160º F or the unit is heated after closure so that the spoons reach a temperature of 160º F.

[mreheater72]

For anyone interested, here is the original Quartermaster specification for the K-ration spoon. From C.Q.D No. 28G, dated 31 October 1944.

donaldjcheek, thank you very much for that specification , I like those ones, because they are very informative, precise and detailed .

Did you also know where to find the specifications of the familiar white MCI/MRE spoon or the actual darkbrown MRE spoon (I guess those specifications exist)? That would also be very interesting I searched for that in the Net, but did not find anything yet .

[mreheater72]

Here some interesting ebay auction:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-WWII- ... 27dab20dc1