A History of the Army Field
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History of Army Field Rations (Continued)
| Contents |
Another item we didn't give much thought to during combat was the perfect can
opener or as the Army called it the "P38 can opener". I still have the one I used
during WWII and it works just as well as it did back those many years ago. I
wondered who had a hand in developing this simple but effective piece of
equipment that will outlast most of us, so I searched around and found an article
about our friend and companion the P38 Army Can Opener. Here is that story:
THE ARMY'S BEST INVENTION- By Major Renita Foster
It (the P38 can opener) was developed in just 30 days in the summer lf 1942 by
the Subsistance Research Laboratory in Chicago. And never in its 52 year (Now
61 years) history has it been known to break, rust, need sharpening or polishing.
Perhaps that is why many soldiers, past and present, regard the P-38 C-ration can
opener as the Army's best invention.
C-rations have long since been replaced with more convenient Meals Ready to
Eat, but the fame of the P-38 persists, thanks to the many uses stemming from the
unique blend of ingenuity and creativity all soldiers seem to have.
"The P-38" is one of those tools you keep and never want to get rid of." said Sgt
Scott Kiraly, a Military Policeman. "I've had my P-38 since joining the Army 11
years ago and kept it because I can use it as a screwdriver, knife, anything.".
The most vital use of the P-38 however, is the very mission it was designed for,
said Fort Monmouth, NJ garrison commander, Col. Paul Baerman. " When we
had C-rations, the P-38 was your access to food; that made it the hierachy of
needs," Baerman said. "Then soldiers discovered it was an exteremely simple,
lightweight, multipurpose tool. I think in warfare, the simpler something is and the
easier access it has, the more you're going to use it. The P-38 had all of these
things going for it."
The tool acquired its name from the 38 punctures required to open a C-ration can
and from the boast that it performed with the speed of the WWII P-38 fighter
plane.
"Soldiers just took to the P-38 naturally," said WWII veteran John Bandola. "It
was our means for eating 90 percent of the time, but we also used it for cleaning
boots and fingernails, as a screwdriver, you name it. We all carried it on our dog
tags or key rings." When Bandola attached his first and only P-38 to his key ring a
half century ago, it accompanied him to Anzio, Salerno and through northern Italy.
It was with him when WWII ended and its with him now. " This P-38 is a symbol
of my life then," said Bandola. "The Army, the training, my fellow soldiers, all the
times we shared during a world war.".
Sgt Ted Paquet, swing shift supervisor in the Fort Monmouth Provost Marshal's
Office was a 17 year-old seaman serving aboard the amphibious assault ship USS
New Orleans during the Vietnam War when he got his first P-38. The ship's
mission was to transport Marines off the coast of Da Nang. On occasional
evenings, Marines gathered near Paquet's duty position on the fantail for simple
pleasures like" Cokes, cigarettes, conversation and C-rations. ":It was during one
of these nightly sessions that Paquet came in contact with the P-38 or "John
Wayne" as it is referred to in the Navy.
Paquet still carries his P-38 and he still finds it useful. While driving with his older
brother, Paul, their car's carburetor began to have problems. "There were no
tools in the car and almost simultaneously, both of us reached for P-38s attached
to our key rings." Paquest said with a grin. "We used my P-38 to adjust the flow
valve, the car worked perfectly and we went on our merry way." Paquet's P-38 is
in a special box with his dog tags, a 50-cal round from the ship he served on, his
Vietnam Service Medal, South Vietnamese money and a surrender leaflet from
Operation Desert Storm provided by a nephew. "It will probably be on my
dresser until the day I die." Paquest said.
The feelings veterans have for the P-38 aren't hard to understand according to 1st
Sgt Steve Wilson of the Chaplain Center and School at Fort Monmouth. "When
you hang on to something for 26 years", he said, "it's very had to give it up. That's
why people keep their P-38 just like they do their dog tags--It means a lot. It's
become part of you. You remember the field problems, jumping a 3a.m.and
moving out. Yes the P-38 opened cans, but it did much more. Any soldier will
tell you that." (End of Major Foster's article) (Go to next page for photo of
P38 can opener)
opener or as the Army called it the "P38 can opener". I still have the one I used
during WWII and it works just as well as it did back those many years ago. I
wondered who had a hand in developing this simple but effective piece of
equipment that will outlast most of us, so I searched around and found an article
about our friend and companion the P38 Army Can Opener. Here is that story:
THE ARMY'S BEST INVENTION- By Major Renita Foster
It (the P38 can opener) was developed in just 30 days in the summer lf 1942 by
the Subsistance Research Laboratory in Chicago. And never in its 52 year (Now
61 years) history has it been known to break, rust, need sharpening or polishing.
Perhaps that is why many soldiers, past and present, regard the P-38 C-ration can
opener as the Army's best invention.
C-rations have long since been replaced with more convenient Meals Ready to
Eat, but the fame of the P-38 persists, thanks to the many uses stemming from the
unique blend of ingenuity and creativity all soldiers seem to have.
"The P-38" is one of those tools you keep and never want to get rid of." said Sgt
Scott Kiraly, a Military Policeman. "I've had my P-38 since joining the Army 11
years ago and kept it because I can use it as a screwdriver, knife, anything.".
The most vital use of the P-38 however, is the very mission it was designed for,
said Fort Monmouth, NJ garrison commander, Col. Paul Baerman. " When we
had C-rations, the P-38 was your access to food; that made it the hierachy of
needs," Baerman said. "Then soldiers discovered it was an exteremely simple,
lightweight, multipurpose tool. I think in warfare, the simpler something is and the
easier access it has, the more you're going to use it. The P-38 had all of these
things going for it."
The tool acquired its name from the 38 punctures required to open a C-ration can
and from the boast that it performed with the speed of the WWII P-38 fighter
plane.
"Soldiers just took to the P-38 naturally," said WWII veteran John Bandola. "It
was our means for eating 90 percent of the time, but we also used it for cleaning
boots and fingernails, as a screwdriver, you name it. We all carried it on our dog
tags or key rings." When Bandola attached his first and only P-38 to his key ring a
half century ago, it accompanied him to Anzio, Salerno and through northern Italy.
It was with him when WWII ended and its with him now. " This P-38 is a symbol
of my life then," said Bandola. "The Army, the training, my fellow soldiers, all the
times we shared during a world war.".
Sgt Ted Paquet, swing shift supervisor in the Fort Monmouth Provost Marshal's
Office was a 17 year-old seaman serving aboard the amphibious assault ship USS
New Orleans during the Vietnam War when he got his first P-38. The ship's
mission was to transport Marines off the coast of Da Nang. On occasional
evenings, Marines gathered near Paquet's duty position on the fantail for simple
pleasures like" Cokes, cigarettes, conversation and C-rations. ":It was during one
of these nightly sessions that Paquet came in contact with the P-38 or "John
Wayne" as it is referred to in the Navy.
Paquet still carries his P-38 and he still finds it useful. While driving with his older
brother, Paul, their car's carburetor began to have problems. "There were no
tools in the car and almost simultaneously, both of us reached for P-38s attached
to our key rings." Paquest said with a grin. "We used my P-38 to adjust the flow
valve, the car worked perfectly and we went on our merry way." Paquet's P-38 is
in a special box with his dog tags, a 50-cal round from the ship he served on, his
Vietnam Service Medal, South Vietnamese money and a surrender leaflet from
Operation Desert Storm provided by a nephew. "It will probably be on my
dresser until the day I die." Paquest said.
The feelings veterans have for the P-38 aren't hard to understand according to 1st
Sgt Steve Wilson of the Chaplain Center and School at Fort Monmouth. "When
you hang on to something for 26 years", he said, "it's very had to give it up. That's
why people keep their P-38 just like they do their dog tags--It means a lot. It's
become part of you. You remember the field problems, jumping a 3a.m.and
moving out. Yes the P-38 opened cans, but it did much more. Any soldier will
tell you that." (End of Major Foster's article) (Go to next page for photo of
P38 can opener)