What good are P-38s (the airplane, not the can opener, or pistol)?

[Mac Linehan]

Lokasenna -

The P-38 military issue can opener was, for decades, issued with "C" or "B" rations (cans and sealed pouches), long before Meals Ready to Eat appeared on the scene.

Edit - I wrote the above before reading the rest of this thread - the old timers had already covered the subject.

Although I retired from the USMC in 1992, I still keep my trusty P-38 on my key ring. Nowadays, I improvise the sharp edge as a cutter to open various candy or food packets when a child asks me for help on my school bus.

Mac

[Symon]

ORIGINAL: Mac Linehan
Lokasenna -
The P-38 military issue can opener was, for decades, issued with "C" or "B" rations (cans and sealed pouches), long before Meals Ready to Eat appeared on the scene.

Although I retired from the USMC in 1992, I still keep my trusty P-38 on my key ring. Nowadays, I improvise the sharp edge as a cutter to open various candy or food packets when a child asks me for help on my school bus.
Mac

Me too, Mac. I came from the decade before you, but that little thing is still in my kitchen, and I still use it. The modern folks use a swiss army knife thing, but you and I know that's poop. A P-38 is a righteous tool. One wears it on their neck chain with their tags, taped up to keep them from clinking. one of the more thoughtful implements the military came up with. Ciao. John

[rustysi]

You have obviously never shaved out of a steel pot on a cold German morning, and then dined on Beef Patties (a.k.a. Sliced Elephant Dick) warmed on the manifold of a running jeep for breakfast.

No it was Korea and it was the exhaust stack of a duece.

[quoteThe pound cake wasn't all that bad.][/quote]

Don't forget the "John Wayne" bars (for those of you who may not know, chocolate bars).

Any else of you out there who remember smoking Chesterfields, and Old Golds, while the REMFs got the Luckys, Marlboros, and Winstons?

What I remember is how stale they were, but when you ran outta your own...