Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 9:50 AM
Julio, I only remember powdered eggs when I was in Korea. We would cover the
eggs with ketchup, jelly, mustard or what ever we could find to add some flavor to
breakfast.--Harry Chambers, 4/76 Artillery
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 9:50 AM
Fellas, I could take the powdered eggs...but the powdered milk was horrid.
Eventually I was able to stomach the chocolate but never mastered the white milk.--
Dave LaForest 2/9th '67-'68
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 10:08:55 -0500
Dave, We must have had more chickens by us, or they were freeze dried before
they got up to you guys... :)))--Rog '66-'67
Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:41:36 -0500
I really liked the army food in Korea and at Ft. Dix. A friend tells a great story about
a couple of sleepy guys coming in to the mess hall one cold morning after a long
night on barrier fence duty and they are standing in line waiting for the cook to
serve them eggs from the grill. Suddenly a rat drops from the ceiling onto the
grill…his legs and feet are being burned so he is kicking and scrambling right in
the middle of the eggs. Bits and pieces of eggs are flying everywhere. The rat
jumps off the grill and the sleepy cook just keeps serving the eggs. The tired GI
turns to his buddy behind him in line and says: “Don’t eat the eggs, pass it back.”
A classic story of Army life in Korea.--David Benbow Co C, 3/23rd Inf, 2nd Inf Div
(1968 & 1969).
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 11:58:17 -0400
Julio, I hit reply all by mistake when I sent you the message about eggs in Korea. It
certainly generated a lot of activity with people’s memory. Hope all is well.--Harry
Chambers
Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:15:58 EDT
While in Korea the mess hall continued to serve eggs in the morning scrambled
only until one of the senior NCO's brought it up to the mess SGT that breakfast
had an eggs to order policy. From that day on we got eggs to order.--Chuck Groff,
A Co 2/9 Inf. 2nd Div, '69 - '70, Keep Up The Fire!!
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 15:48:37
I really enjoy, as much as it pains me to hear about your 'chow' conditions,
listening to all the different versions of 'mess hall' food. Except for basic, I never
experienced anything other than, 'Order What You Want' type meals.
My AIT was in an OCS Prep company at Fort Ord. Although we pulled our own KP,
we got to order what we wanted to eat. Over easy, scrambled, poached, it didn't
matter. Whatever you ordered you got: bacon, sausage, ham, and a variety of
other side dishes.
OCS was pretty much the same way except we had a civilian mess hall crew.
Except the 'cook' who was an E6 in charge of the civilians. What you ordered you
got. Our problem wasn't what we ate, but eating it. Sitting with your back straight,
at attention, on the first four inches of the seat, squaring off all movements and
putting your utensil down before chewing. As often as not, you were always on the
verge of 'wearing' your food before you had a chance to finish eating it. That's
providing you didn't have to 'spit polish' the floor with something you didn't like.
You quickly learned to like EVERYTHING!
Our Officers mess at Camp Beard was whatever and as much as you wanted. At
RC#4 I took meals at Camp Pelham. I slowly, however, began taking my breakfast
and lunch at the PX. Supper was at Camp Pelham, the PX or I'd have my
houseboy’s wife cook me up 'traditional meals' which I paid him for. These were
some of the best meals I had while over there. Whatever they were having, she'd
make extra and send up to me. I could even order something different and she'd
cook it for me. I probably had the best meal 'options' available to anybody in
Korea.
Myself, Top and a couple of the E6's often did 'favors' for visitors and others.
This paid off handsomely as often we would receive deliveries of steaks, chickens,
turkeys, hams and various liquors. The food we would have prepared in the PX
(Another arrangement we had) or we would fire up the BBQ and cook ourselves.
More often than not, we had enough to feed all military personal on base (We were
a very small compound. Civilians and KSC's outnumbered us). Strange, we never
knew where the 'packages' came from! Keep up the stories!--Ken Leighty
Wed, 14 Mar 2007 18:53:24 EDT
Sounds like you had it rough in Korea, Ken. Some of us always seemed to eat
cold food except when the houseboy fixed it. We got our food from a 1st Cav Arty
unit south of us. It was delivered 2 times a day in those weird OD containers. By
the time it got to us it was usually luke warm. Since the five of us on our
compound had a houseboy, we were able to get a good meal once in a while. And
he always kept the coffee hot. In fact we were known as "sleepy hollow" to the MP’
s on duty in the area. The later and colder the night was, the more time they spent
snoozing and drinking coffee. They parked their jeeps (real M-151's in those days)
right next to an open window so they could hear the radio. I think they liked our
kerosene heater as much as the coffee. That was in '64. Later at Fort Bragg, I
don't remember ever being able to "choose" a meal. We ate what the privates (no
civilians then) slopped on the metal tray. Best Wishes to all BLV and DMZ vets and
God Bless.--Dave Hagan, AFKN Cavalier.
Sent: Wednesday, March 14 2007 19:28:26 -0500
I received a bunch of emails about the food today. I have one to top them all.
In Nov. 63 President Kennedy was assassinated. We went out to the O.P.’s, and
STAYED there for a month, getting back to BLV just before Christmas. Might have
been Dec. 23rd. We got in at dark, around 5:00 or so p.m. haven't had a hot meal in
over a MONTH. The Capt tells cookie to make some hot food. We got these tiny-
ass miniature frog legs, they were like shoestring potato frog legs, and I mean they
were TINY. There wasn't much, NO other stuff with them, not a potato, not
NOTHING. Went to sleep HUNGRY. Next day I got guard duty for Christmas eve,
didn't make Lieutenants gofer, walked around in the ammo dump in a cold-ass
snowstorm. Again no decent food.
We NEVER had REAL eggs or anything else that tasted worth eating. K's from
World War II was as good as anything else we got, because all the good food got
ate down south, and all we got was the crap they didn't want.
Korea left me with a real dislike for the cook. At least the supply people gave us
3 blankets.--George Gustavson
Wed, 14 Mar 2007 19:38:11 -0500
Dave with AFKN, Thanks to you for helping keep me sane during my 16 months in
Korea . You’ll never know how much I listened to AFKN…every chance I could. We
used PRC 25 batteries to power our tiny transistor radios. The battery was 3 times
bigger than my radio. Where else can a North Carolina boy listen to the polka
party…or a New York City boy listen to Tammy Wynette? AFKN was the best!!!!!
Thank you from the guys in Charlie Company, 3/23rd Inf, 2nd Inf Div. I have a
request for “Fool On the Hill” from all the guys on GP Gladys! Sincerely, Sgt.
Benbow
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 19:40:25 -005
Julio, I received emails from lots of BLV'ers about the food today. Food to
ORDER? We were lucky if we GOT a decent meal most of the time. The food
SUCKED. I LOST at least 15 pounds there, and I was NOT overweight at all, maybe
even thin when I got there. I went there with a 31 inch waist and left with a 29 inch
waist. All my clothes were too big by the time I came
back to the world.--George Gustavson
Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:02:58 -0400
My favorite AFKN show was the Johnny Grant Show. He would interview
starlets and beauty queens. It was great listening for a lonely GI who longed for
round-eyed girls (oops...is that politically incorrect?). After Korea I was stationed
at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco. Johnnie Grant brought his show...
and his girls to the hospital. The memories of that show are only overshadowed by
my memories of the James Brown USO show at RC #1 in 1968.--SP5 Rich (Doc)
Hernandez Medical Platoon, 2/72 Armor
Julio, I only remember powdered eggs when I was in Korea. We would cover the
eggs with ketchup, jelly, mustard or what ever we could find to add some flavor to
breakfast.--Harry Chambers, 4/76 Artillery
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 9:50 AM
Fellas, I could take the powdered eggs...but the powdered milk was horrid.
Eventually I was able to stomach the chocolate but never mastered the white milk.--
Dave LaForest 2/9th '67-'68
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 10:08:55 -0500
Dave, We must have had more chickens by us, or they were freeze dried before
they got up to you guys... :)))--Rog '66-'67
Wed, 14 Mar 2007 11:41:36 -0500
I really liked the army food in Korea and at Ft. Dix. A friend tells a great story about
a couple of sleepy guys coming in to the mess hall one cold morning after a long
night on barrier fence duty and they are standing in line waiting for the cook to
serve them eggs from the grill. Suddenly a rat drops from the ceiling onto the
grill…his legs and feet are being burned so he is kicking and scrambling right in
the middle of the eggs. Bits and pieces of eggs are flying everywhere. The rat
jumps off the grill and the sleepy cook just keeps serving the eggs. The tired GI
turns to his buddy behind him in line and says: “Don’t eat the eggs, pass it back.”
A classic story of Army life in Korea.--David Benbow Co C, 3/23rd Inf, 2nd Inf Div
(1968 & 1969).
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 11:58:17 -0400
Julio, I hit reply all by mistake when I sent you the message about eggs in Korea. It
certainly generated a lot of activity with people’s memory. Hope all is well.--Harry
Chambers
Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:15:58 EDT
While in Korea the mess hall continued to serve eggs in the morning scrambled
only until one of the senior NCO's brought it up to the mess SGT that breakfast
had an eggs to order policy. From that day on we got eggs to order.--Chuck Groff,
A Co 2/9 Inf. 2nd Div, '69 - '70, Keep Up The Fire!!
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 15:48:37
I really enjoy, as much as it pains me to hear about your 'chow' conditions,
listening to all the different versions of 'mess hall' food. Except for basic, I never
experienced anything other than, 'Order What You Want' type meals.
My AIT was in an OCS Prep company at Fort Ord. Although we pulled our own KP,
we got to order what we wanted to eat. Over easy, scrambled, poached, it didn't
matter. Whatever you ordered you got: bacon, sausage, ham, and a variety of
other side dishes.
OCS was pretty much the same way except we had a civilian mess hall crew.
Except the 'cook' who was an E6 in charge of the civilians. What you ordered you
got. Our problem wasn't what we ate, but eating it. Sitting with your back straight,
at attention, on the first four inches of the seat, squaring off all movements and
putting your utensil down before chewing. As often as not, you were always on the
verge of 'wearing' your food before you had a chance to finish eating it. That's
providing you didn't have to 'spit polish' the floor with something you didn't like.
You quickly learned to like EVERYTHING!
Our Officers mess at Camp Beard was whatever and as much as you wanted. At
RC#4 I took meals at Camp Pelham. I slowly, however, began taking my breakfast
and lunch at the PX. Supper was at Camp Pelham, the PX or I'd have my
houseboy’s wife cook me up 'traditional meals' which I paid him for. These were
some of the best meals I had while over there. Whatever they were having, she'd
make extra and send up to me. I could even order something different and she'd
cook it for me. I probably had the best meal 'options' available to anybody in
Korea.
Myself, Top and a couple of the E6's often did 'favors' for visitors and others.
This paid off handsomely as often we would receive deliveries of steaks, chickens,
turkeys, hams and various liquors. The food we would have prepared in the PX
(Another arrangement we had) or we would fire up the BBQ and cook ourselves.
More often than not, we had enough to feed all military personal on base (We were
a very small compound. Civilians and KSC's outnumbered us). Strange, we never
knew where the 'packages' came from! Keep up the stories!--Ken Leighty
Wed, 14 Mar 2007 18:53:24 EDT
Sounds like you had it rough in Korea, Ken. Some of us always seemed to eat
cold food except when the houseboy fixed it. We got our food from a 1st Cav Arty
unit south of us. It was delivered 2 times a day in those weird OD containers. By
the time it got to us it was usually luke warm. Since the five of us on our
compound had a houseboy, we were able to get a good meal once in a while. And
he always kept the coffee hot. In fact we were known as "sleepy hollow" to the MP’
s on duty in the area. The later and colder the night was, the more time they spent
snoozing and drinking coffee. They parked their jeeps (real M-151's in those days)
right next to an open window so they could hear the radio. I think they liked our
kerosene heater as much as the coffee. That was in '64. Later at Fort Bragg, I
don't remember ever being able to "choose" a meal. We ate what the privates (no
civilians then) slopped on the metal tray. Best Wishes to all BLV and DMZ vets and
God Bless.--Dave Hagan, AFKN Cavalier.
Sent: Wednesday, March 14 2007 19:28:26 -0500
I received a bunch of emails about the food today. I have one to top them all.
In Nov. 63 President Kennedy was assassinated. We went out to the O.P.’s, and
STAYED there for a month, getting back to BLV just before Christmas. Might have
been Dec. 23rd. We got in at dark, around 5:00 or so p.m. haven't had a hot meal in
over a MONTH. The Capt tells cookie to make some hot food. We got these tiny-
ass miniature frog legs, they were like shoestring potato frog legs, and I mean they
were TINY. There wasn't much, NO other stuff with them, not a potato, not
NOTHING. Went to sleep HUNGRY. Next day I got guard duty for Christmas eve,
didn't make Lieutenants gofer, walked around in the ammo dump in a cold-ass
snowstorm. Again no decent food.
We NEVER had REAL eggs or anything else that tasted worth eating. K's from
World War II was as good as anything else we got, because all the good food got
ate down south, and all we got was the crap they didn't want.
Korea left me with a real dislike for the cook. At least the supply people gave us
3 blankets.--George Gustavson
Wed, 14 Mar 2007 19:38:11 -0500
Dave with AFKN, Thanks to you for helping keep me sane during my 16 months in
Korea . You’ll never know how much I listened to AFKN…every chance I could. We
used PRC 25 batteries to power our tiny transistor radios. The battery was 3 times
bigger than my radio. Where else can a North Carolina boy listen to the polka
party…or a New York City boy listen to Tammy Wynette? AFKN was the best!!!!!
Thank you from the guys in Charlie Company, 3/23rd Inf, 2nd Inf Div. I have a
request for “Fool On the Hill” from all the guys on GP Gladys! Sincerely, Sgt.
Benbow
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 19:40:25 -005
Julio, I received emails from lots of BLV'ers about the food today. Food to
ORDER? We were lucky if we GOT a decent meal most of the time. The food
SUCKED. I LOST at least 15 pounds there, and I was NOT overweight at all, maybe
even thin when I got there. I went there with a 31 inch waist and left with a 29 inch
waist. All my clothes were too big by the time I came
back to the world.--George Gustavson
Wed, 14 Mar 2007 22:02:58 -0400
My favorite AFKN show was the Johnny Grant Show. He would interview
starlets and beauty queens. It was great listening for a lonely GI who longed for
round-eyed girls (oops...is that politically incorrect?). After Korea I was stationed
at Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco. Johnnie Grant brought his show...
and his girls to the hospital. The memories of that show are only overshadowed by
my memories of the James Brown USO show at RC #1 in 1968.--SP5 Rich (Doc)
Hernandez Medical Platoon, 2/72 Armor
| Chow in Korea Email Chat I, on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 |
| GRENEDA POSTAGE STAMP ON KOREA |
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