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Burnt Toast and Lumpy Gravy Trivia Quiz

A history of how and what US military personnel have been fed. They say an army marches on its stomach!

A multiple-choice quiz by SatchelPooch. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
SatchelPooch

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
329,246

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
4 / 10

Plays
496

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. During which war were the first prepackaged rations used in the United States? Hint

World War I

Korean War

World War II

Civil War

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Question 2 of 10

2. Which brand of cigarettes was NOT used in World War II "C-rations"? Hint

Lucky Strikes

Marlboro

Old Gold

Camel

3. Soldiers in the US Army between the Civil War and the Spanish-American war were fed pemmican, a food of Native American origin that was well suited to travel. Which of these ingredients was NOT reportedly used in its preparation? Hint

Grasshoppers

Dried meat

Wheat

Dried berries

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Question 4 of 10

4. Which of these combat meals were Vietnam-era soldiers superstitious about? Hint

Ham and lima beans

Beef in spiced sauce

Turkey loaf

Beans with frankfurter chunks in tomato sauce

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Question 5 of 10

5. OK, about that, um, "stuff" on a shingle! What is it really? Hint

Ground beef in beef gravy

Chopped dried beef in cream sauce

Baked beans in tomato sauce

Ham and eggs in hollandaise sauce

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Question 6 of 10

6. US field rations now include an energy bar called the HOOAH! bar. What game do Marines play with this bar? Hint

They see how many they can fit in their mouth at once.

They trade them. One chocolate is usually worth three cran-raspberry.

They sneakily put the sticker on another Marine's flak jacket, which means that everyone who sees him gets to punch him.

They use them for target practice.

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Question 7 of 10

7. Vietnam War soldiers often carried Long Range Patrol (LRP) rations. What was one of the main problems with these rations? Hint

They were too heavy

There was often no water to rehydrate the dehydrated food

They were not nutritionally complete over the long term

They did not include sweets or dessert

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Question 8 of 10

8. What kind of hard candy was included in World War II rations? Hint

Peppermints

Lifesavers

Charms

Tootsie Pops

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which of these is contained in the Navy's "Abandon Ship" rations? Hint

Dried fruit

Beef jerky

Cereal bars

Hard candy

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Question 10 of 10

10. What is the secret to making good Navy coffee? Hint

No one outside the Navy knows for sure

Using eggshells to settle the grounds

Never washing the coffee pot

Pouring the brewed coffee through the grounds again

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. During which war were the first prepackaged rations used in the United States?

Answer: World War I

Three different kinds of prepackaged rations were used during World War I: reserve rations, trench rations, and emergency rations. According to the US Army Quartermaster Foundation, a World War I reserve ration (meant to provide a complete food allowance for one man for one day) included "a one-pound can of meat (usually corned beef), two 8-ounce tins of hard bread, 2.4 ounces of sugar, 1.12 ounces of roasted and ground coffee, and 0.16 ounce of salt.

It weighed about 2-3/4 pounds and contained about 3300 calories."

2. Which brand of cigarettes was NOT used in World War II "C-rations"?

Answer: Marlboro

Each ration pack contained nine cigarettes, as well as twenty matches. "Smoke 'em if you got 'em!"

Answer: Wheat

Yes, grasshoppers! Protein is where you find it, I guess.

4. Which of these combat meals were Vietnam-era soldiers superstitious about?

Answer: Ham and lima beans

Apparently soldiers don't much care for ham and lima beans! It was considered bad luck even to say the name of this meal, so an obscenity was often substituted for "lima beans."

5. OK, about that, um, "stuff" on a shingle! What is it really?

Answer: Chopped dried beef in cream sauce

The "shingle," of course, being a piece of toast. Despite eating a lot of this in World War II, my dad liked it and would make it from time to time. It's really not all that bad!

6. US field rations now include an energy bar called the HOOAH! bar. What game do Marines play with this bar?

Answer: They sneakily put the sticker on another Marine's flak jacket, which means that everyone who sees him gets to punch him.

The HOOAH! bar is only the latest in a long line of military energy bars. Probably the tastiest too.

7. Vietnam War soldiers often carried Long Range Patrol (LRP) rations. What was one of the main problems with these rations?

Answer: There was often no water to rehydrate the dehydrated food

Finding clean water in the jungle is very difficult!

8. What kind of hard candy was included in World War II rations?

Answer: Charms

Charms are sometimes still included in Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). However, some soldiers are superstitious about them, considering it bad luck to eat them.

9. Which of these is contained in the Navy's "Abandon Ship" rations?

Answer: Cereal bars

They are stored on lifeboats and have a shelf life of 5 years.

10. What is the secret to making good Navy coffee?

Answer: Never washing the coffee pot

Call it java, jamoke, sludge, silt, bilge, mud, shot-in-the-arm, or just plain "Joe" -- sailors do love their coffee!

Source: Author SatchelPooch

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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