Does anybody have any pictures of 1979 dated MRE's?

[Treesuit]

I would like to know from anybody here on the forum if they have or can find any pictures of the first run MRE's dated around 1979-1982. Over the course of the holiday's I acquired 5 cases of vintage, un-opened MRE cases, two of which are dated 1979 and 1982.

I know there was a thread where there was a picture(s) of some first run 1983 dated MRE's. I remember one case was perched on top of a US M60 main battle tank during a REFORGER exercise in Germany and another was a snapshot of some US Marines in Beirut, Lebanon getting some as well. These two pictures only show the first run dated MRE's but did what did the MRE's that were dated 1979-1982 look like?

Did the first run MRE's look anything like the dark brown version we all know? Or did they come in a different color and packaging?

I'm curious to find out without having to dig into the two cases I have. Any help would be great. And any discussion as well.

[mreheater72]

I would like to know from anybody here on the forum if they have or can find any pictures of the first run MRE's dated around 1979-1982…

I know there was a thread where there was a picture(s) of some first run 1983 dated MRE's…

These two pictures only show the first run dated MRE's but did what did the MRE's that were dated 1979-1982 look like?

Did the first run MRE's look anything like the dark brown version we all know? Or did they come in a different color and packaging?

I'm curious to find out without having to dig into the two cases I have. Any help would be great. And any discussion as well.

All the following statements are based on memories from the early eighties, so I´ hope I´m right .

Here are some photos of very early MREs that were officially issued. Those ones I got from US soldiers employed in an MI Unit (501st Military Intelligence Battalion which was part of 1st AD that time) as a child during an exercise with "bugging the Iron Curtain" (I guess it was August 1983, I remember that because there were summer holidays and the soldiers used a school for sleeping) near my home:

MENU NO. 4 BEEF SLICES IN BARBECUE SAUCE packed by CADILLAC PRODUCTS, INC.. The particular thing of that very early MREs were the smaller letters of printing in comparison to later issues (see third photo). Those ones have DoP 1980(???)/1981:


Also DoP 1980(???)/1981, but MENU NO. 3 BEEF PATTIES:


Here is MENU NO. 6 FRANKFURTERS, I guess also packed 1981. Here you can see the bigger letters in comparison to earlier issues:


Here forum member JUBIFAHRER opened some case DOP April 1981:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=859

For MRE prototype see here:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4282

If I will have much, much time I will start a topic called “The Evolution of MREs”

So long mreheater72

[mreheater72]

Treesuit,

btw the case of JUBIFAHRER is identic to yours with DLA 79 you showed here :

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4527&start=10

[Treesuit]

MREHeater72,

I was curious if my cases were the same as jubifahrer's. It appears mine are slightly different with regards to overall letter printing and paper temperutre control tags that are on the side of the cases. Also the 1979 dated case has a packing date of 1980 and a inspection test date of 1982 printed on the side. Not so with the 1982 dated case.

[P3_Orion_EWO]

My all-time favorite MRE entree was the tiny meatballs mixed with rice and barbeque sauce from that period. I couldn't get enough of those things.

[PanzerDivision666]

I know this is not exactly that related, but I bought a case a few years back when I was homeless and it was packed in ' 84. This was in a flat case ( which I prefer. Anyone who has had to hump these #$%ers still in the box via ALICE strapping would probably agree. The cases now are a bitch to haul by hand, methinks.) and when I took the MREs out they had dust all over them.

Down at the very bottom was a flattened MCI box. I believe it was Pork Slices. But I remember being very intrigued by that. Glad you got yourself some good vintage eats, bro!!

[Treesuit]

PanzerDivision666,

Oh yes, I did have to ruck a case or two in my military career when they were still they flat, rectangular ones. Your right they were much easier to pack, case wise.

Now my major question is what do I do with the cases?

[mreheater72]

I know this is not exactly that related, but I bought a case a few years back when I was homeless and it was packed in ' 84. This was in a flat case … and when I took the MREs out they had dust all over them.

Down at the very bottom was a flattened MCI box. I believe it was Pork Slices. But I remember being very intrigued by that. Glad you got yourself some good vintage eats, bro!!

I also bought a MRE case with DoP June 1982 at eBay Germany a few month ago. The case was already opened and not complete, four MREs were missing . Here a flattened MCI box was content, too , I guess it was used to close the slit at the bottom of the MRE case ! I have read in another thread here about MCI boxes in a MRE case, but unfortunately I can´t found that site .

See the pics of my case:






The sleeve was produced May 1982, note the marking




The interior card board was produced February 1982, note the marking




The flattened MCI box at the bottom of the MCI case


Close-up of the flattened MCI box front side


Close-up of the flattened MCI box reverse side, even the traces of the MRE pouches are visible


The eight left-over MREs oft the case


So long mreheater72

[Treesuit]

MREHeater72,

I just checked my cases. The 1979 case has a outer sleeve made in July 1980 and the 1982 case has a outer sleeve made in April 1983. I would venture a look see at the inner cartons but they are still bound.

[mreheater72]

MREHeater72,

I just checked my cases. The 1979 case has a outer sleeve made in July 1980 and the 1982 case has a outer sleeve made in April 1983. I would venture a look see at the inner cartons but they are still bound.

Treesuit,

I was often curiuos in past with closed MRE cases : It is no problem to push the closed plastic straps over the card board sleeve, but you have to be careful : So you can see the inner card board. After that you can "re-push" the straps and it is not visible that you have "opened" the case ! So I detected some ebay sellers that offer original packed cases :

So long mreheater72