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

  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

  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.
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