MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Question and opinion regarding Living History / Reenacting.
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WWII502
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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by WWII502 » Fri May 22, 2015 10:28 am

I might keep and fix up my two burner stoves. I just got the canvas bag they go in to make the 20 man cook set...


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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by pintelhook11over » Sun May 24, 2015 9:59 am

Yup , cool stuff in that Military Sanitation FM, plenty of stuff we'll never use like "De-lousing with DDT insecticides" and using/mixing "Paris Green Larvicide" what ever that is...
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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by pintelhook11over » Sun May 24, 2015 10:27 am

One thing I saw that was different was a "Washing Device with Soakage pit". When I was enlisted we didn't use a helmet as a Multi-purpose device like back then...

My Great Grandpa August Vandenberg who was in 251st Coastal Artillery 90MM AAA during the Pre war/ Early war part of the WWII told me a story once, they went to the Anza-Borrego desert in southern California (near Salton Sea) for a Live Fire exercise. They were posted Camp Calen near San Diego (which is now where the San Diego State College is now) and would go there pretty often.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/251st_Air_ ... y_Regiment

One time they got to the range ahead of the Mess personnel and they thought they would make Coffee...In their M-1 helmets!!! Man, I thought that must have tasted Horrible, with all the dirt, sweat and Lead paint. He said it did taste awful, mater of fact that is why he didn't have to deploy overseas because the rest of his life he had stomach ulcers and problems. So, after hearing that story and seeing a "Wash Station" like this I though man they really did use their "Piss Pots" for everything from cooking,washing, digging and anything else they could with their helmets.

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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by WWII502 » Sun May 24, 2015 10:35 am

Wow! That is impressive. Yea, they used those helmets for everything didn't they. That is really cool. My manual hasn't arrived yet but I can't wait to flip through it. I think that this is the coolest display and gear that is out there. I have been scouring books and websites finding every picture that I can. I think eventually I'll have a book printed with all of them. I think it would be neat to see all of the variances in the different messes.

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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by WWII502 » Tue May 26, 2015 3:33 pm

I'm still thinking of how awful that coffee from the steel pot must have been... Anyway, does anyone have expierence baking in the 20 man stove? I want to do some mild baking like pilsbury biscuits for breakfast type of thing. Can I just brown them in the griddle?

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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by pintelhook11over » Wed May 27, 2015 8:46 pm

I have been meaning to try the same thing...

That 10 day menu has Biscuits in there for breakfast/dinner items, so my thought was several of the cans were of premixed powder that only required water. It would probably use a double acting baking powder as a leavening agent, I would try it on the 350 degree side on the griddle. I was thinking of some small "angle Iron" to use as Trivets under the griddle to keep the bottom from burning if necessary, it probably work for cornbread too.

The picture is the No.2 Range, look at Number 3 in the top center/ right side is the "Rests, pan No.57 (2)"

Looking close at the earlier Field ranges No.1 and No.2 there are small "bars" the inventory pictures, if I remember correctly they are the "Trivets" that go under the pans and are part of the stove kit...we'll have to get decent at cornbread/biscuits, then go for the gusto and try white bread! The "Field Bread" is different than "Garrison bread" apparently.

I see 17 of 20 meals call out biscuits, 3 of 20 references to cornbread, my guess is that the whole griddle would be greased or buttered then filled in with batter, then cut the cornbread and biscuits into squares instead of conventional circles. I would guestimate 15 or 20-ish biscuits per griddle.

There is only one way to find out if it is feasible or not... :D

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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by pintelhook11over » Wed May 27, 2015 8:53 pm

That coffee had to have been Gross! They had to be super desperate for caffeine! I would have chicken'd out and stuck with plain old water.

I see references to fruit Cobblers, Yellow cakes, brownies, cookies, peach crunch and apple crisp too! Those sound good with some coffee.
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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by D.R.H. » Wed May 27, 2015 9:58 pm

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH You're just getting soft in your older age Jonsey !!! :) I don't know any Dirt Sailor, (C.B.) that would turn down a nice hot cuppa Joe. For cripes sake, You chewed enough dirt, breathed a lot of dust and rust your whole life so far, and you're worried what coffee from a steel pot is gonna taste like?!?! WHEEEEEEEW, you're wearin' me out Mac !!!!
Gimme that steel pot, I'll field day it the way a Marine would field day his barracks for "The Old Man", :o , and we'll be sippin' great tastin' Joe faster than The Colors get hoisted at Zero-Eight-Hundred. :)
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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by pintelhook11over » Wed May 27, 2015 10:54 pm

:D

Ha! Well... now that you put it in those words...Lets make some Joe!!! Ooh-Rah!
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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by WWII502 » Thu May 28, 2015 5:51 am

pintelhook11over wrote:I have been meaning to try the same thing...

That 10 day menu has Biscuits in there for breakfast/dinner items, so my thought was several of the cans were of premixed powder that only required water. It would probably use a double acting baking powder as a leavening agent, I would try it on the 350 degree side on the griddle. I was thinking of some small "angle Iron" to use as Trivets under the griddle to keep the bottom from burning if necessary, it probably work for cornbread too.

The picture is the No.2 Range, look at Number 3 in the top center/ right side is the "Rests, pan No.57 (2)"

Looking close at the earlier Field ranges No.1 and No.2 there are small "bars" the inventory pictures, if I remember correctly they are the "Trivets" that go under the pans and are part of the stove kit...we'll have to get decent at cornbread/biscuits, then go for the gusto and try white bread! The "Field Bread" is different than "Garrison bread" apparently.

I see 17 of 20 meals call out biscuits, 3 of 20 references to cornbread, my guess is that the whole griddle would be greased or buttered then filled in with batter, then cut the cornbread and biscuits into squares instead of conventional circles. I would guestimate 15 or 20-ish biscuits per griddle.

There is only one way to find out if it is feasible or not... :D

Image

http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/showful ... oto=196401
I am experimenting this weekend with the refrigerated pilsbury biscuits in a skillet at home on the stove. If it works then I will try it on the 20 man. The manual has instructions on converting the 37 range to an oven but I can't find one of those so I am kinda stuck there. Lots of meals have biscuits and the recipe manual has a large selection of types to choose from. I want to try the pre-made before I start the from scratch method but that is the ultimate goal. Is there anything better than hot fresh baked bread? Not that involves clothing that is for sure. There are several bread recipes online for dough that involved powder milk so you pre mix and just add water, they are intended for camping and a Dutch oven so they should work okay for what we do. I agree about the trivets, if it is "direct" heat you'll burn the outside before the inside sets. The angle iron idea is simple, I was thinking of rectangle terra cotta saucers. I work for a pottery company and the terra cotta is food safe so you can bake directly in it. Terra cotta (TC) can take the heat without breaking, won't rust and will absorb heat and create radiant heat, perfect for baking. I'll expieriment and update you. Field bread is heavier and more dense I do believe. I can't wait, fresh bread would be amazing...

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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by WWII502 » Thu May 28, 2015 5:52 am

Sgt. Hancock wrote:AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH You're just getting soft in your older age Jonsey !!! :) I don't know any Dirt Sailor, (C.B.) that would turn down a nice hot cuppa Joe. For cripes sake, You chewed enough dirt, breathed a lot of dust and rust your whole life so far, and you're worried what coffee from a steel pot is gonna taste like?!?! WHEEEEEEEW, you're wearin' me out Mac !!!!
Gimme that steel pot, I'll field day it the way a Marine would field day his barracks for "The Old Man", :o , and we'll be sippin' great tastin' Joe faster than The Colors get hoisted at Zero-Eight-Hundred. :)

I think you are one of my favorite people... Ever... Lol

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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by Quartermaster » Thu May 28, 2015 7:59 am

Thirteen pages later.

Maybe you guys need to get a room....

ha ha

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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by WWII502 » Thu May 28, 2015 8:14 am

Lol small wall.... I love this thread. Great people, great impression, great ideas....

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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by pintelhook11over » Thu May 28, 2015 9:13 pm

Ha! :lol:
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Re: MESS OPERATION IN FIELD (ref. TM 10-405/ TM 10-406)

Post by pintelhook11over » Thu May 28, 2015 9:27 pm

That Terra Cotta sounds good, I just learned a while ago about Tandoori, I thought it was a recipe, But to my surprise it is more a method of cooking/equipment- Tandoor.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tandoor

Seen some Brits making their own in the back yards in the U.K., pretty impressive. Quite historic too. I would be almost positive the Limeys in the China/Burma/India theater would have used this method in the field. I always thought it would be awesome to talk with an old veteran Chindit or U.K./Commonwealth/Aussie/Kiwi vet from WWII that was deployed over there...
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