Parachute Emergency Ration

Summary

Parachute emergency rations were a type of United States military ration produced during World War II.[nb 1] The ration was meant as a survival ration for use of aircrew who bailed out of their aircraft. It initially comprised energy bars, fruit bars, K-biscuits, hard candy and lemon-juice powder but eventually evolved into a food pack which contained chocolate, hard candy, bouillon cubes, dehydrated cheese, crackers, sugar, instant coffee and gum, in addition to cigarettes and water-purification tablets. The ration was introduced in 1942 and remained in use until 1952.[1] The ration was placed in the emergency kit fitted to the back or seat of a parachute harness.[2]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Not to be confused with the K ration, an individual daily combat food ration of the United States Army during World War II meant as an individually packaged daily ration for issue to airborne troops, among others.

References edit

  1. ^ Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2004-12-29). Encyclopedia of Kitchen History. Routledge. p. 647. ISBN 978-1-135-45572-9. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  2. ^ Rottman, Gordon L. (20 June 2012). US Army Air Force (1). Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-78200-053-2. Retrieved 25 March 2018.