posted on June 6, 2006 11:24:25 PM new
A friend found this old can on a mountain ridge here where soldiers during the Korean War were training. He thinks it's old. My take on it is that its list of ingredients seems newer to me--like new regulations in the last 20 or 30 years. Made in Visalia CA. Whatchoo think?
posted on June 7, 2006 01:14:49 AM new
This might help.
A search for military base around Visalia turned up Norton Air Force Base.
"In 1966, Norton AFB became the base for the 63rd Military Airlift Wing, providing airlift and food services to worldwide air and ground combat units. "
Noton was closed in 1992, so you could probably date your can after 1966 to when ever they started using MRE's in the 1980's.
BTW, Norton is high priority on the SuperFund list. I'm not sure I would want to be tasting the contents in that can even though c-rations have been claimed to be good 30 years after packaging.
BTW, Real Fresh dairies are still in business and still packaging milk products. You could probably write their public relations department with your query.
[ edited by LtRay on Jun 7, 2006 01:19 AM ]
posted on June 7, 2006 08:33:16 AM new
Thanks, LtRay. Just as I suspected. By the way, the can is truly empty! It has 3/4" sides, and the lid was tucked into the empty can.
posted on June 7, 2006 09:51:17 AM new
Roadsmith...That can is from a C-rations package. It could be from pre-WW2 up through the Vietnam War era. Real Fresh is a dairy foods processing and packaging plant here in Visalia. They are about a quarter mile from me. They most likely had a contract to supply this item to the Department Of Defense, hence the listing of all the contents. This can was part of a batch of C or K rations that were distributed to U.S. troops all over the world. They could also turn up in Korea, Germany, Alaska, etc. And it could be from an Army unit that trained there before or during WW2, or a National Guard unit that trained there in the 70's.
If Murphy's law is correct, everything East of the San Andreas Fault will slide into the Atlantic
posted on June 7, 2006 12:19:27 PM new
Gosh, thanks, Sparkz. I'm still concerned about the list of ingredients. I honestly thought such ingredient lists became mandatory in the last 30 years or so. I guess I could be wrong, huh.
posted on June 7, 2006 02:46:29 PM new
The list of ingredients for products you and I buy in a grocery store are mandated by law, and is fairly recent. However, the list on this can is a requirement of the Department Of Defense for suppliers bidding on the contract, and have nothing to do with the civilian law. This product was never sold at retail, and the Military and other government agencies are exempt from the labeling law. I think your friend may be correct in guessing Korean War vintage, however remember that if it were made during the 50's, it may not have been used until the 70's.
If Murphy's law is correct, everything East of the San Andreas Fault will slide into the Atlantic
