What Troops Ate On D-Day - World War 2 Meals & Rations

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Subtitles: Jose Mendoza | IG @worldagainstjose
#tastinghistory #dday #ww2

[@TastingHistory]

For more on recipes from the World Wars and other military cuisine, I got a whole playlist right here: kzbin.info/aero/PLIkaZtzr9JDkzso7Ip6ShAyRz-PEipsKB&si=NkK1I1IhtcUnn1Ln

[@ChipmunkRapidsMadMan1869]

Try Dutch Oven Cooking from the Frontier. My wife and her sister did it and it's interesting and awesome. You can do it in the back yard. Congratulations on your new kitchen.

[@Didymus20X6]

Coincidence: I just saw Sabaton a week ago, and now we get a D-Day video. P R I M O V I C T O R I A !!

[@lordbarristertimsh8050]

Idea for a future episode, make Napoleon Bonaparte's last meal that he ate in exile on St. Helena.

[@ChipmunkRapidsMadMan1869]

@@lordbarristertimsh8050 Arsenic is poisonous.

[@adamdubin1276]

See if Josh will let you borrow one of his stoves? If memory serves the Mythical Kitchen has two.

[@flarvin8945]

My grandfather was crew member of a landing craft during WWII. He said before his first invasion, at North Africa, they were given a huge breakfast. Which he happily ate up. It was not long after the invasion started, that his breakfast come back up. After that, he did not eat much for breakfast before invasions.

[@TastingHistory]

I talk about that 😂 Most guys threw it up!

[@cv990a4]

To cold-bloodedly storm a beach knowing there's a very good chance you never get off the beach... that's bravery.

[@obsidianjane4413]

Reading accounts like your granddad's made me not eat anything before we flew into Baghdad in '05. They do a "combat landing" where they spiral down from altitude within the perimeter of the airfield to avoid anti-aircraft fire, which at this point would have just been angry Iraqis with AKs, but still. Some guys didn't, and they left a mess in the C-130 for the crew to clean up.

[@sandyhaas780]

Thank you to your Grandfather and family.

[@FrikInCasualMode]

Not to mention that empty digestive tract would increase soldier's chances of survival if he got shot in the stomach. Sepsis was a killer in field hospitals.

[@Atzy]

"I decided I was unlikely to outlive my rations, so I saw no point in going hungry" Christ, that's dark. Glad he got the opportunity to write about it.

[@BTScriviner]

Those men knew what sacrifice was. During COVID, Americans were asked to "sacrifice" by wearing a mask and they whined like snowflakes.

[@plarnston]

Yeah, that line struck me as well.

[@JZsBFF]

Going green in times of war is not a long term strategy. Civilians in time of war: ...

[@Atzy]

@@JZsBFF Who are you talking to? What are you talking about?

[@flannelpillowcase6475]

@@Atzy he's saying joining the military in times of war will very likely lead to death. he then makes a comment about how civilians react to war, probably that they're awestruck by the immensity of it all.

[@cammobunker]

I knew a Marine who made several combat landings in the Pacific. They were usually fed steak and eggs and fried potatoes for breakfast on an assault day. He told me that the first time he ate like a horse, and lost it all halfway in over the side of the Higgins Boat. He said that later he ate the eggs and kept the steak in a waterproof bag for later on. He said that steak was like a reward for surviving the landing.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

Some US Marines in Vietnam were surprised to be given steak and eggs before an operation and were told by the cook they were being fattened for the slaughter. Steak and eggs would look great when their guts were hanging out, the cook said.

[@gunnargunnarsson5963]

reminds me of the final chapter set in Tarawa in Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault, where the main character, Thomas Conlin, mentioned that they gave the Marines steak and eggs before the landing in Tarawa, the Battle of Tarawa was one of the bloodiest battles ever fought in the Pacific theater.

[@k.a1z597]

@@gunnargunnarsson5963great game!

[@samkitchen2071]

We still give Marines stake and eggs when they finish the crucible, I still remember my warriors breakfast

[@denisesmith505]

My grandfather was in the Navy but never learned to swim. Incredible. He saved many men who landed on sandbars, not realizing that they were not on solid ground. As they started walking, they would drop into the deeper water with 100 lbs in their backs. My Paw Paw dove in to save them. My wonderful, amazing grandfather learned how to swim that day.

[@bec9696]

What a wonderful memory to have shared with you. He must have been very brave and smart to relax enough and not to freak out.

[@lilyn7497]

this inspires me to finally learn how to swim 😢

[@bec9696]

@lilyn7497 It is never too late to learn, and once you do, you will love it as there are so many ways to enjoy water when you can swim. The hardest part of rescuing someone in the water is trying to calm them enough to not pull you under with them. I'm astounded by Denise's grandfathers ability to do what he did. I hope he received recognition for his bravery.

[@hardlyworgen71]

Years ago I saw a parody of Doctor Suess that starts: I do not like powdered eggs and ham. I do not like them Uncle Sam.

[@winterplayz-robloxmore8478]

Hilarious

[@ericisbeowulf]

This may have actually been the inspiration for Green Eggs and Ham, as the powdered eggs do indeed turn green if they are over-cooked before storage in mermite cans for transport to the troops and serving.

[@SeanBZA]

Funny enough the military by me was not a fan of powdered egg, they would use it, but the fitters and turners in the mess could royally destroy real eggs to taste equally as bad. Now, the thing they served, that I still detest, is pineapple. 3 months of everything in the mess tasting of pineapple, from the water, to the food, to the coffee, to the bread, to the plates themselves. That, and the boiled eggs from the Skinner Street Combined Mess, which were almost universally inedible. Even food from the Food Factory at the base I was on was better, unless my neighbour, who worked there, told me to avoid certain meals in a day or so, saying in the most succinct way that it was not the best. Even the frozen, defrosted and warmed up fried eggs on soggy toast were good at times, just not the canned sausage they served with it, especially when it was minced up and blended with other left overs. fish was great, just take the thin pieces of "haddock" mornay, as those would not be glassy inside, but well boiled in the milk. Grab that, and a bowl of camo crispies (no snap, crackle or pop, though they often did swim in the bowl), and swap with my friend, who in no way would eat fish.

[@OpalLeigh]

I would not like to go to war I must only go because I’m poor I would not like them, I have said I would not like them til after I’m dead.

[@RainintheBrain]

Would you like them in a Higgins boat Would like them with a screaming goat

[@purpleYamask]

"Utensil suitable for mixing eggs" sounds like the grandpa to the modern MRE's "Rock Or Something." Gotta love how vague you have to write when you have no clue where folks'll be when they read it.

[@jwalster9412]

Either A, you use your hands, Or B you find a nice looking rock.

[@Vean-fn9fn]

"Utensil suitable for mixing eggs" Soldiers cooking the meal in their helmet: "... The bayonet seems suitable :D"

[@00yiggdrasill00]

​@@Vean-fn9fnif it works it works, and I've rarely heard of hungry soldiers saying no to food

[@gavinjenkins899]

It's pretty useless and silly, still, though, because if you aren't going to offer any helpful hints or ideas, etc., why did you need to write it out at all? If you just say "mix the eggs" then it's already clear you need something that can mix eggs to do it, without saying that.

[@b.elzebub9252]

@@Vean-fn9fn Guy who wrote it: There ya go. The bayonet seems suitable! ^.^

[@Mentalrose2]

My grandfather, now passed, was an army cook during WWII in Okinawa. So while he didn't participate in D-Day, this is a lovely reminder. He stayed a cook, too, at least at home. And when I was a little girl, he would make scrambled eggs for us. They tasted amazing but always had this green tone to them. I never knew why that really was, but when we complained about green eggs as kids, he would draw himself up to his full height, put his hands on his hips and inform us that these were *not* green eggs. They were Army Eggs, thank you very much, and this is how they were cooked in the army. I am moderately disappointed to notice the lack of green in your Army Eggs. ;) Thanks for the reminder of someone I miss!

[@polarbearsaysyummy5845]

I ♥️ your Grandfather.

[@hollerinwoman]

Wow, what a memory! Your grandfather was a gem.

[@jie-yingphua7028]

Did you ever find out what the green is?

[@waterman165]

Eggs if cooked at to high a temperature, or for to long, or is being kept warm for a long time can turn a green hue due to a reaction between the sulfur and iron in eggs and protein. It's totally harmless and doesn't affect taste, but it does make it look unappetizing. Scrambled eggs are most vulnerable to this and green army eggs is still a very common complaint in armies everywhere. This is because eggs are a cheap and easy to prepare protein so it's prepared quickly in large batches, then left on a warm buffet line where they turn green. My bet is grandpa just prepared them the way he did in the army and they turned green. Delicious but green. :)

[@polarbearsaysyummy5845]

@@waterman165 Have to wonder if this is the inspiration for "Green Eggs and Ham"?

[@MsLeenite]

My father served in the US Navy in WW2. He took part in the Normandy invasion. He was badly injured when a nearby shell's impact threw him through the air, feet first into a pile of sandbags. Both his legs were fractured. This I learned from my Mom, as he would never talk to us kids about any of his battle experiences. How long he laid on that beach in pain before he was found and taken to a hospital, no one will ever know now (he died in 1967 when I was not quite 16). But he would talk about his time in London before being deployed across the Channel. He said he liked Londoners and admired their spirit. He appreciated the way they all sang together in the pubs. He had a beautiful singing voice, so he would have been popular. He had eyes of a peculiar light yellowish green, which he said spooked a London barmaid so much she wouldn't serve him. "'E's got cat's eyes, 'e does!" He also told us how intensely green and beautiful the coast of Scotland was, where his overseas transport landed. He said it was the most beautiful place he'd ever seen. Bless them all, those who made it and those who didn't.

[@dtaylor10chuckufarle]

The Greatest Generation. We stand on the shoulders of giants.

[@alphapennsylvania9439]

My grandfather was a paratrooper in the 101st airborne, got dropped in a very wealthy couples back garden and was treated to beef stew, potatoes and bread within 10 minutes of landing and was found in the morning having wine, eggs french bread ham and cheese. He gave them a pack of candy he had brought to give children. His fellow paratroopers would send him forward to farm houses as he knew French and often could score hams and anything else the grateful French, Belgians or Dutch could spare. He said once "it wasn't strange to enter a French village and be shot and while you're in cover for some crazy old lady or young girl to run across the street from where you took fire from to hand you a bottle of wine"

[@madalinbotez2089]

damn, that's so romantic

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

That’s like a similar story to one I heard about a Para? I believe it was a para in Northern Ireland, he said he sat in a Saracen (armored car) on a street all day, and around midnight he heard a light tap on the hatch obviously he was suspicious so he opened the door with a browning hi power pistol in his hand and it greeted a little old lady who had a silver dish full of sandwiches and tea. She gave him and his driver the tea and sandwiches because she said she knew they must’ve been hungry sitting outside all day, and she would’ve brought them sandwiches earlier but she couldn’t risk being seen giving them food.

[@jcortese3300]

Was your grandfather in company D? My uncle was in 101/D. What was your grandpop's last name?

[@rosameryrojas-delcerro1059]

My great uncle turned 18 just in time to be drafted, trained and off to the Battle of the Bulge. He was not in the military too long. He got two tanks blown out from under him. The second time he ended up in a hospital in Belgium, and the Nazis bombed it. The survivors were taken to Birmingham England, he was discharged (injuries) a few months later and had PTSD the rest of his life, never talking about any of it. When I was kid, he was dying of pancreatic cancer, my dad paid him a visit and actually convinced him to chat about his experiences. My dad still has that notebook, Names, dates, deaths etc. Nothing like that though, he only spoke English. No wonder his wife had to shake him awake in the middle of the night because he was screaming in his sleep. War is ugly, ugly, ugly.

[@oldfrend]

@@jcortese3300 the division had several D companies. you'd need to specify what regiment to know for sure.

[@walmartdog1142]

And for thousands of these men, it was literally their last meal.

[@EMSpdx]

May they always be remembered and honored.

[@jujutaylor2186]

They truly tried to make their last day(s) as good as possible. Sad but God bless.

[@libertyandjustus8258]

😢

[@Rockhound6165]

Given the fact that when they ramp dropped that their life expectancy was something like 2 seconds, I can't imagine the cast iron balls these men and boys had knowing they were about to enter a literal meat grinder. I've heard that the opening scene from Saving Private Ryan was not exaggerated. So much so that when WWII combat vets saw it they had horrible flashbacks.

[@jamiechristly4773]

Walmart Dog, You are 100% correct. It literally was their last meal. Those men sacrificed their lives and now 80 years later, it's barely remembered.

[@3Dant]

Had a moment of panic in the split second between "the last episode of Tasting History..." and "...that will be filmed in this kitchen"

[@JackRabidDrag]

I had the absolute privilege of going to the WWII Museum in New Orleans with my grandfather, who was a veteran of WWII, and I definitely second your recommendation. It’s a beautifully done museum. I still tear up thinking about that day, it was very special. He has since passed away- his 100th birthday would have been next year- and he didn’t often talk about his time during the war, but the museum helped him open up about things he’d never talked about before and the staff there had a lot of extra perks for vets that made him feel very special. I’ll never forget what he told me his main motivation for signing up was: he wanted to get 3 square meals a day for free so he could send his extra ration cards back to his parents in New York! 😂

[@nebwachamp]

Academia and mainstream media and Hollywood try to paint that generation as backward and ignorant. Seems to me ur G-pa knew what was up and walked a harder line than any BLM activist could imagine. Nothing fragile about the greatest generation. What a shame excellence isn't hereditary. BOYS MADE MEN in those days. Now therapist make would be men boys. Imagine going to therapy bc if historical injustice. (especially but not exclusively as a white dude.) I digress... Men like ur G-pa inspire me but to see their legacy scoffed at and misrepresented by cowardly worms makes me so mad I blow in YT comments sections of cooking tube.

[@nebwachamp]

Happy Bday to that man and may everyone who reads ur post deliver his memory the reverence and exhalted praise he has earned.

[@Redwhiteblue-gr5em]

Truly the Greatest Generation

[@JosephNobles]

"Tilt your utensil while stirring" is the most Army instruction I have ever seen.

[@FireGoliath]

The most army instruction until we got, "A rock or something"

[@OrigamiMarie]

I like to think that the original recipe involved just putting all the water in at once. And then there were complaints about the difficulty of getting the powdered egg to stop floating around and get into solution, and the frequency of powder clumps that made it obvious that these were powdered eggs, and people wouldn't eat them, etc. So they had to revise the recipes to reduce the change of icky food that the troops wouldn't eat.

[@whatareyoudoingyouidiot342]

Recipes have to be written so a 17 year old kid who's never done it before can do it without making a total cock-up of it.

[@rubberwoody]

Instructions unclear. Crayons eaten

[@JosephNobles]

This does remind me of the M*A*S*H episode where Hawkeye got to run the kitchen for a day and brought his mom's recipe for French toast in, including pinching the bread for the perfect texture. The cook took a look, threw all the dry ingredients in, grabbed a spray valve to add a blast of "moisture," and then asked Hawkeye, "Do you wanna pinch or shall I?"

[@MoonLitChild]

"Funny" family story -- my grandfather always told the family he wasn't at *the* landing, he always said he was there for "D-Day +1", the next day. We never had any reason to question this because he was a technical sergeant, the type meant to set up radio communications and repair things-- it always made sense to us that they'd need more people like that once the beaches and everything were properly secure. Long after he died, my grandmother was succumbing to dementia and we asked her about D-Day again, she said, "No, he was there the first evening" -- which as you can imagine confused the shit out of us, but apparently she and granddad had been lying to us our entire lives about it. It scarred him so badly they both agreed to lie. That's also when she admitted that they were so committed to the lie, they destroyed a lot, if not *all* of the letters they wrote to each other during the course of the war so we'd never find out the truth.

[@BlandSpagetti]

Jesus that’s horrifying

[@amasterofone]

That's so sad. I'm glad you were able to learn the truth.

[@mokko759]

I am in no way surprised they chose to lie and I certainly do not blame them. My grandfather also served. I have no idea where he served or if he was at D-Day or not because he NEVER spoke of it. NOBODY spoke of it. I can only assume the things he saw and did scarred him so much, it was preferable to never think of it again.

[@sandyhaas780]

Respect and a debt of gratitude owed to your grandparents. Thank you

[@elenavaccaro339]

Your parents can get your grandfather's service records that will tell you every action he participated in. I think you can get them if your parents aren't interested.

[@alonehobo]

Fun fact: while Char/Cha (茶) means tea in Chinese, "Tea" is also a Chinese origin word (Te) in a different Chinese language. Depended on how the tea trade was conducted in Ancient China, if the trade was to travel by land, it was called "Cha"; whereas if it was to travel by sea, it was called "Te".

[@Hwyadylaw]

And they're both descended from the same word

[@gemfyre855]

Which is why saying "Chai tea" is kind of silly.

[@NotSoHeartBroken]

​@@gemfyre855 tea tea 😂

[@funsalmon]

My grandfather was a Navy chef in the Pacific during WWII. There's a wonderful photo of him up on a ladder stirring an enormous bowl of pancake batter. This makes me feel close to him 🙂

[@gartnerfan]

At <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="950">15:50</a> the picture shown is of a man who was a great friend of mine in the later years of his life. That is Richard L. Barber originally from Worcester, MA and passed away in Oviedo, FL. Center of picture. A true hero who eventually rose to Sergeant and won 2 Purple Hearts in WWII and a 3rd in Korea where he lost a leg. Walked on a prosthetic leg for 65 years. RIP Richard

[@nicole-uo9cd]

gartnerfan Daughter of a WW2 vet here and also a Worc. Mass. native...small world isn't it?

[@gartnerfan]

It sure is. I grew up in Worcester and met Mr. Barber when I moved to Florida. He had already lived in Florida for 20 years . We just happen to run into each other. He was the grandfather I never had.

[@nicole-uo9cd]

@@gartnerfan NICE!

[@zuzuspetals38]

So many knew it was their last day 🥺🙏🏼 Watching the men/boats ahead of them getting shot or blown up Hate war, when will EVERYONE see all the death and after affects it leaves. All the families left so bereft…

[@Bashobozo]

Prove it

[@DoloresJNurss]

While you're between kitchens, it might be interesting to cook a 1930's hobo meal at a campsite, complete with black bread baked in a can, and demonstrate how hobos used cans within cans to make a working stovetop.

[@colinburke8389]

Seconded!

[@hollerinwoman]

Yes, Max, please do this!! :)

[@karenc4544]

That would be amazing! Great idea!

[@hazelpixie56]

That sounds pretty cool!

[@electrostatic1]

Agreed, this would be amazing.

[@ghfdt368]

My great grandfather was a Chindit. They were British commando's that fought against the Japanese army in Burma or Myanmar today during ww2 and are often called "the forgotten army" as they are sadly often overlooked and forgotten. They were also given K rations and something called a tropical chocolate bar for emergencies. K rations were designed to be used for short term use only and during combat operations as they didn't have enough nutrition and calories to keep a soldier fed for days on end. Problem was though they were commandos meaning they were behind enemy lines so getting fresh food and cooking was extremely difficult so the Chindits ended up eating K rations for months. Many of them lost up to 60lbs in weight. There are stories after the second campaign of British soldiers after being picked up by American soldiers being given more K rations for them to eat as picking up and feeding thousands of soldiers with cooked food is really difficult. Many British soldiers ended vomiting just on the mere sight of seeing the K rations again because they were so sick and tired of eating them.

[@dtaylor10chuckufarle]

Exactly! I read an account of a survey done on K-rations of men in a hospital by the army. Just the sight of the things caused these wounded men to vomit.

[@LisaMarli]

My parents' friend was pregnant in spring of 1944 when her husband got stationed to England. She was not allowed to go with him. He eventually had to stop writing, but she continued to write to him. Luckily because he was about to become a Dad, he was in the later waves that went onto the Beaches in France. And their daughter was born June 6. Her milk dried up when she read the papers the next day. And it took the Red Cross 2 weeks to find him and let him know of the baby's arrival. That is all he would talk about concerning the war. Other than "War is hell" is an understatement.

[@speakerroach4015]

Respect to all , especially the cooks that kept the soldiers fed

[@dhelix85]

An army marches on its stomach. The cook is important AF.

[@AsheramK]

@@dhelix85 They were also well-respected. You don't mess with people who handle your food.

[@leedoss6905]

And a lot of them were Black folks too.

[@AppalachianTemplar]

​@@AsheramK interestingly, in today's military, cooks are some of the least respected soldiers in a unit, because no one else manages to consistently fail to do their job so often.

[@shawnpeterson3386]

I can't help wondering what they thought once their customers were gone. I think it would have been nerve-wracking, with your imagination going wild.

[@coffee5605]

My great uncle served in WW2. But I didn't find out until his funeral. He never mentioned a thing about his time. He operated the landing craft that day. Lord knows the hells he witnessed. Rest in peace, Phil.

[@isosev]

Driving people to their deaths. Its understandable he never wanted to talk about that.

[@melissalambert7615]

So many never ever wanted to talk about it. If you talk about the horrors of war, you start to memorize them.

[@rosameryrojas-delcerro1059]

My great uncle turned 18 just in time to be drafted, trained and off to the Battle of the Bulge. He was not in the military too long. He got two tanks blown out from under him. The second time he ended up in a hospital in Belgium, and the Nazis bombed it. The survivors were taken to Birmingham England, he was discharged (injuries) a few months later and had PTSD the rest of his life, never talking about any of it. When I was kid, he was dying of pancreatic cancer, my dad paid him a visit and actually convinced him to chat about his experiences. My dad still has that notebook, Names, dates, deaths etc. No wonder his wife had to shake him awake in the middle of the night because he was screaming in his sleep. War is ugly, ugly, ugly.

[@redtube8667]

​@@melissalambert7615 those memories are memorized. There are some things that get seared into your memory.

[@beantheirishsetter]

I joined right after 9/11 at 17 and left in Dec 2010. Army aviation, chinooks. Flying is desensitized enough. I can't imagine what the men saw in the wars that happened before me. We, this young generation, got really lucky all things considered

[@michaelnash2138]

I had one uncle land in Normandy (3rd wave-he was lucky), one in Italy and another served on a battleship in the South Pacific. Could never get a word about it out of any of them, even when I asked. They would ALL say, "I don't want to talk about it." Had to rely on hearsay from my aunts. RIP uncles Clifford, Fred and Lee.

[@carolmelancon]

My father was in the Navy at Iwo Jima. He would never talk about it. He only told me one story about going with a group of his buddies in the wee hours of the morning and finding some fresh-baked bread in the galley. They tore off the ends, pulled out the central bits, and filled them with jam like giant twinkies. He also told me about "shit -on-a-shingle".

[@bec9696]

It is sad we lost so many wonderful stories, both good and bad. Though I totally respect that it would behard to share.

[@bjdefilippo447]

Thank you for this, Max. My dad was in WWI and Korea. He wouldn't talk much about it, but finally, in his 70s, he started telling the grandkids some stories. He didn't give cover the toughest stuff, but what he did share explained a lot about him that was hurtful and frustrating when I was growing up We owe our veterans so much better treatment that most of them have received, and at least as much as we have promised. Thank you for your service, veterans and for the sacrifices of you and your families.

[@Kwaspo]

For those of you well versed in WWII, the story of "Brand new equipment that needed to be test fired... unlimited ammo... steak and pork chops" is not only a miracle at that point in the war, but also one of the biggest flexes in history.

[@slwrabbits]

I am not up on modern history (which I consider to be any time after guns became commonplace) but I was able to flag that as an audacious flex, for sure. You don't offer unlimited anything without a darned good reason.

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

In the North African campaign a German NCO said that he knew Germany had lost when the Americans arrived and they were idling their trucks and tanks instead of shutting them off to save fuel. That of course was in 1943 and that’s when I realized how much logistical power the US had even at that point in history, in the Gulf war and the later Iraq war the British have often been quoted saying “we were stuck in a warehouse eating rations and the Americans had a flat packed Burger King delivered” Certainly makes me proud to be an American knowing we can fly in an entire fast food restaurant 😂

[@gregorystiver7198]

​@@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606 I can't remember which but one of the Japanese admirals knew the war was lost when they learned of the American ice cream barges. Every ship they had was nigh irreplaceable but America could field ice cream boats? 🍦

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

@@gregorystiver7198 yep, and the ice cream barges were HVTs to the Japanese (HVT, High Value Target) so the Japanese were more focused on sinking ice cream tubs than battleships because they knew the morale importance of such a vessel

[@shawnpeterson3386]

One German, seeing the invasion fleet, is supposed to have said, "How can we win against that?"

[@GrilledCheeseNumba1]

The surgeons hated this, especially the navy docs in the pacific because the marines would get steaks and eggs before a big landing and then the doctors would have to work through all that when they came back to the ship with horrible wounds, a lot of them gut shot. There is a reason they tell you to fast before going in for surgery

[@vinterskugge907]

Sure, but there's confirmation bias there - the surgeons only see the soldiers needing surgery. It's possible that the improved food quality before big events meant better troop performance, which would more than overcome the effect on those needing surgery.

[@GrilledCheeseNumba1]

@@vinterskugge907 I tend to disagree, when it was 130 in Iraq and we ate we didn’t feel to great moving, kind of like how the tropics and island campaigns would have been, Europe would be different because of the climate but you can live for up to 3 days with a gut wound with just basic medical care, the problem comes from when your intestines or bladder or stomach get ripped open and dumps its contents into your abdomen, then the risk of secondary and post op infection goes through the roof, and that’s what kills most people is the infection, same in Iraq and Afghanistan, the shit and sand there carry microbes that get into wounds and cause massive infections.

[@robh3007]

@@GrilledCheeseNumba1 Seems like you should have your own show or something.

[@user-qy4ov8dp5y]

@@GrilledCheeseNumba1 Ужасите на войната.

[@GrilledCheeseNumba1]

@@robh3007 maybe if I would have started one ten years ago, it’s just real world experience and grew up around grandparents and parents and then myself who have been in those kind of situations

[@mattblom3990]

There's a little comment in the 1990 movie "Memphis Belle" at the meal before the final mission where one of the gunners says "these powder eggs would gag a buzzard." Seeing Max's face as he tasted his eggs reminded me of that quote instantly.

[@matthewmarting3623]

It is crazy to me that you can research, source all the ingredients, get the recipe down pat and produce a video every single week. “Ok, it’s Tuesday so by the end of the day I need to learn and be able to remember everything about food in WW2”

[@podlingspodcast551]

My grandfather was in paratrooper school training for D-Day. He had a massive asthma attack and was held from deployment. His whole company did not make landfall on D-Day. Shortly after he was medically discharged. He always felt guilty about it. I see it as a blessing because he met my grandmother a few months later.

[@upinarms79]

Survivor's guilt is hard for a lot of people to reconcile but had he been there, he'd have been another casualty and you wouldn't even exist. What matters is that he was brave enough to answer the call in the first place and was willing to fight, despite circumstances beyond his control.

[@pricemcgee8380]

@@upinarms79very well said.

[@chefsaliva5317]

Sounds like a draft dodger to me

[@upinarms79]

@@chefsaliva5317 -1/10 no effort, see me after class

[@west3979]

@@chefsaliva5317how did he dodge the draft if he volunteered for jump school 😂

[@bryanparkhurst17]

Max, really want to thank you for this one. My grandfather would tell me stories from the war. He was in the 1st Div Co H 18th Infantry, went in first wave on Ohmaha. He talked about those eggs 50 years after the war. Also the S.O.S you did a while back....not always FOND memories. Oh but the stories that man told. I don't think there will ever be another generation like that. My father and I are taking my son to the D-Day Anniversary ceremony in France in a few weeks, shame though, he is named for my grandfather and he never met him. I had the distinct honor to visit Normandy in 1994 with my grandfather for the 50th Anniversary....very Powerful. I hope my son reflects on the sacrifice of so many to free the world of tyranny. Again...great episode Max.

[@RubyW7944]

You are so fortunate! Thank you for sharing your story. There will not be another generation like the men of WWII regardless of theater they were in.

[@SieraMinton]

I really appreciate the way you describe things! My brother is blind and he likes this sort of stuff but it's hard for him to enjoy videos since he lost his vision because most people don't do a good job with their descriptions of food or color and that sort of thing. You do! So thank you from the both of us!

[@ashlikefrompokemon4327]

My grandfather served under General Patton during WWII and was part of D-Day, the battle of the bulge, and the liberation of the Buchenwald camp. When I was growing up, he loved to tell stories from his time, and he would always end his stories with "and I'm never eating spam again" lmao. He passed several years ago, and this vid makes me feel a little closer to him

[@beatrice81]

Great job❤

[@rosameryrojas-delcerro1059]

My great uncle turned 18 just in time to be drafted, trained and off to the Battle of the Bulge. He was not in the military too long. He got two tanks blown out from under him. The second time he ended up in a hospital in Belgium, and the Nazis bombed it. The survivors were taken to Birmingham England, he was discharged (injuries) a few months later and had PTSD the rest of his life, never talking about any of it. When I was kid, he was dying of pancreatic cancer, my dad paid him a visit and actually convinced him to chat about his experiences. My dad still has that notebook, Names, dates, deaths etc. No wonder his wife had to shake him awake in the middle of the night because he was screaming in his sleep. War is ugly, ugly, ugly.

[@csipawpaw7921]

You might find this story interesting. A little over a month after D-day, my father was on a scouting patrol behind German lines in the hedgerow country. His patrol stopped near a crossroads to rest while the officer in charge checked his map. Suddenly a truck came down the road from the north and the patrol ducked into the hedgerow. But the truck stopped right in front of their position and two English women stepped out and opened the side of the truck and called out to them offering them coffee and donuts. Confused the officer approached them and asked "Do you realize where you are? They answered, "Not exactly, we've been looking for our boys all day long, but you're the first we've seen." The officer then explained that they were about a mile behind enemy lines and suggested they go back the way they just came from. Just then a German barrage opened up. The men took cover in the hedgerow and the women jumped back in their truck, turned around, and drove off as fast as possible. The men in the patrol prayed the women would make it back to friendly lines, but they never found out if they did.

[@juliet3813]

I hope there are historian reading these posts.

[@madalinbotez2089]

god damn i would love a job like that: going around a giving coffe and to be onest some dreugs to people around. i would even give to the germans as well, cause why not.

[@joanhoffman3702]

That’s wild! This is the type of story I’d love to hear more of. Everyone knows the majority of WWII history, dealing with the military, but what about the everyday soldiers and civilians and their experiences? If those women made it back to friendly territory, and I hope they did, they would have a hell of a story to tell the grandkids!

[@morganalori]

@@madalinbotez2089 I recall seeing a program/something about them... Actually didn't Max do a donut or WWII episode where this was mentioned?... now I have to go back and check.

[@YesYes-xb6he]

​@@morganalori Most likely to have been WRVS (Women's Royal Voluntary Service), women civilian volunteers who'd provide refreshments etc when there was nothing else available. Would go out during air raids etc and provide tea and doughnuts or slices of cake to the firefighters, airraid wardens who'd be tackling incendiarys, fires, rescuing those bombed out. Still going today and will turn up to natural disasters, evacuations, or other times where both the civil population or emergency service personnel might need a cuppa.

[@Dnc1ngQueen]

My grandfather landed at Normandy on D-Day, which was the day after his 21st birthday. He's been gone from us for more than a decade now, but it's nice to watch this and imagine what he would have been eating that day, and imagine how he would have been feeling.

[@thedungeondelver]

My grandfather was a cook during WW1 for John J. Pershing. He was originally up front but got gassed, they rotated him to the rear and that's what he did...

[@jakobroynon-fisher9535]

Fun fact- the TM 10-412 recipes are (if I remember correctly) meant for 100 people, which was meant to be scalable, and is a small Company.

[@TastingHistory]

Yep. Pretty much all are for 100 people. It’s why I cut it down 😂

[@jakobroynon-fisher9535]

@@TastingHistory I have TM 10-412 and 10-405 (405 is about butchering). I'd also like to see you try either Texas Tacos (from the Leftovers section) or Apple Coffee Cake (from the Breakfast section).

[@TheAttacker732]

When the troops on watch or duty, who would probably be getting a C-rat instead, are taken into account, it should be pretty close to a fairly basic company's worth of food. Double it for a large company.

[@jakobroynon-fisher9535]

@@TheAttacker732 Basically, but when you look at- the 2.5 ton trucks that had mobile field kitchens in the bed of the truck, the jeeps assigned to move Marmite containers from the Battalion's assigned field kitchens (each Company originally had 6-7 people for cooking) to their Companies, and things like that- there was a lot of innovation on how to feed front line troops while keeping support troops relatively out of the line of fire. But- cooks and other support troops were and are some of the most eager fighters, because they want to prove themselves in a fight.

[@FallenPhoenix86]

​@@jakobroynon-fisher9535 Apple coffee cake? You sir, have my attention.

[@richardbeebe8398]

I wasn't prepared for my unexpectedly emotional response to today's episode that hit me amid the stories and images of the troops participating in the D-Day landing. As I watched and listened, I suddenly found myself struck by memories of wartime stories and photos of my late father, a sergeant with the U.S. Army who served in WWII in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. There, in the midst of the stories you shared of powdered eggs, K rations, and the anecdotes of the troops' personal experiences amid this momentous battle, I could catch fleeting glimpses of my Dad and his stories of the war. He would have loved this episode! Thank you, Max ...

[@muhchung]

Many thanks to your father and his comrades for their services to the US and to the world.

[@susanbaker8023]

I agree with you. I too thought of my Dad. He was proud of his service, he told us of the funny things that happened. Never the bad times. Proud daughter of a WWII veteran.

[@jaclynkurtz9808]

Thank you to your father for his service

[@jaclynkurtz9808]

​@@susanbaker8023Thank you to your father for his service

[@yvonnefarrell1029]

Amen

[@jasontodd9]

My grandfather was in the 46th infantry (after D-Day). He used to tell a story about trying to get fresh eggs in a town they'd captured in Germany. The burgermeister was still acting like he was in charge and had been discouraging the townspeople from cooperating with the GIs until they pointed a Sherman tank's 75 mm gun at his house. The old man said the burgermeister went and collected the eggs personally personally after that.

[@TheBrawler93]

My grandfather was a radio man in the Canadian army, he was among those thousands of brave men that landed on those beaches. He never spoke of that day. He had other war stories he would tell, but never that day in particular. I can’t even imagine what he must have seen that he wouldn’t even talk about it. I have his full uniform now, it’s my most prized possession. I miss you grandpa John. Great episode Max 👌

[@lovebug2284]

My uncle was part of the Canadian forces that landed on Juno beach. I don’t know what he had for breakfast, but he did survive. Thank you for posting this in time for Memorial Day, so we can honor and remember those who gave everything for us.

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

In terms of beaches Juno was the “easy” beach imagine if Juno was “easy” how much worse Utah must’ve been. Glad to hear your Unc survived he’s a hero in my book

[@ABC1701A]

@@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606Juno and Omaha were the tough beaches though the Canadian military/British marines made the most progress once they had landed of all the landings, UTAH was the easy beach along with Gold - because the navy destroyed many of the heavy artillery defending Gold before they landed - and while Sword was a fairly easy landing they also faced the heaviest enemy defence once off the beach. From a D-Day website.

[@beerandchips2545]

My uncles were there, too. Two of them, probably with the winnipeg Rifles. That's all I know about it.

[@bubwal23xifan]

The unsung heroes were the drivers of the Higgins boats, the LCIs, LCTs, etc. They went in under heavy fire to drop off soldiers, supplies, and vehicles. They deserve a ton of recognition and respect.

[@biggiouschinnus7489]

Oh, certainly. Good logistics was the bedrock of the US and Commonwealth armies in WWII.

[@andersjjensen]

@@biggiouschinnus7489 There is a quote from a high ranking German officer in Africa, describing how it dawned on him that the war was already lost in (I think) '43. They had managed to ambush an American supply convoy, and among the goodies there was a birthday cake that a sergeant had procured for one of his privates. It wasn't that NCOs could get cakes for privates that sent him reeling though. It was the fact that the cake was perfectly fresh. At that moment it dawned on him that the raw logistics horse power of the Allies were under so little strain (while the German one was constantly struggling with just the basics) that they could have personalised morale novelties anywhere in the theatre in 48 hours or less.

[@pricemcgee8380]

@@andersjjensenvery interesting! Thank you for sharing this

[@wynjones2877]

What a wonderful episode. My great-uncle was one of the soldiers who stormed Omaha Beach. (He was wounded and met his future wife in the British hospital where she was a Candy Striper.) Yet another coincidence - D-Day is my birthday. By the time you are back in your kitchen I will be in a new one. I am moving to a retirement community and literally sold my house within three days of listing it. (Actually the buyer was one of the first four people to view it.) Life is full of fun happenstances!

[@alana.adamo515]

I thought you were saying this was the last Tasting History episode ever, and in that second I went through the five stages of grief

[@michaelscalia7080]

Juice typically used by the military was powdered or condensed juice concentrate, that they could just mix into water to serve.

[@Crazy_Diamond_75]

Almost all pack rations these days are dehydrated or concentrated. Water is very heavy, and if you can get rid of it, it is literal weight off your back.

[@SeanBZA]

Yes, and most likely would be either apple, pear or orange juice, in big cans. By me those were supplied by the Greater Letaba Canning Cooperative, and the juice was typically orange, pear, apple, guava and mango, though we did occasionally get the odd can of Marula juice as well, though much easier instead to go outside and grab the fruit off the local trees, as there were quite a few of them planted there, as they are indigenous, hardy and bear quite a bit of fruit. Just beware if you get the liqueur distilled from it, it is smooth going down, but will also put you down as well.

[@beatrice81]

Like in jail

[@AnniCarlsson]

We can still buy juice consentrate in sweden. It's like 2 dl you mix up to a liter juice. Don't taste that bad acculy

[@generalrubbish9513]

@@AnniCarlsson In Slovakia, we have flavored syrups you're meant to mix into water. Some only contain artificial flavors, but the more expensive ones have actual juice concentrate.

[@pinecone01]

I love how the army cook book is a "technical manual" with it's inventory number or whatever displayed prominently on the top. TM 10-412!

[@shaventalz3092]

This one teaches Overheat.

[@cunard61]

Yep, the Army has a Tech Manual for almost every topic under the sun.

[@joanhoffman3702]

If the Army didn’t have a tech manual for it, you probably didn’t need to know. 🤣🤣🤣

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

@@joanhoffman3702which is why there isn’t one for getting a wife 😂

[@lari9768]

tm 10 being "risikotackle" in the red and blue edition and "kraftreserve" in later versions is quite fitting for a video about a d-day meal imho

[@jakechapman3161]

I really do hope you understand how much people love this stuff. It’s a history lesson with cooking included. If you don’t love this wealth of knowledge then I don’t understand where you’re coming from. I’ve watched many of your videos and I have never been bored. Goes to show that when you put true effort into your content people appreciate it and I know I’m not alone. Thank you for making these videos max I know I really appreciate that your someone I get to watch on KZbin that isn’t wasting my time with pointless crap. You’re a legend in your own right. Please keep making videos with efforts and preparation because the quality really reflects the amount of thought you put into every video. I wish you well and hope you’re enjoying life. Have a good day y’all. I know this helps me have a good day myself.

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you for this!

[@flannelpillowcase6475]

my great-aunt served in WWIII. her favorite story to tell was how she ended up in the Australian outback to recover her downed A-646 fantail, and almost died from dehydration til she stumbled on a group of margees hiding in the underground. not only did they give her enough water to make the hike back to the forward base, but treated her to grilled tofu sandwiches and gave her a bottle of homebrewed wine to share with the rest of her unit. pretty great story when she tells it.

[@jonesnori]

Margees?

[@melissaharris3389]

I'm assuming she means Aboriginal Australians. They'd know how to find sufficient water and shelter in the outback.

[@jonesnori]

@@melissaharris3389 They would, true. It was the "hiding in the underground" together with the mention of tofu that made me unsure.

[@sumibear]

The Germans occupying my grandparents' home in Flanders, left early in the morning on D-day. At that point in the war, there were only old men and teens left in Hitler's army. My grandfather was in hiding. An old soldier taught my aunt how to plant lettuce. The young ones played instruments and had jam sessions. Apparently they left in a hurry, I still have an army blanket they left behind. My grandmother was inconsolable doing dishes that morning and kept repeating " Food for the guns! They're all food for the guns..."

[@juliet3813]

And so they were. This is one of the saddest things I’ve read here. Please give the blanket a hug for me.😢😢😢

[@chrislastnam6822]

"In Flanders field the poppies blow through the crosses row on row".

[@Folgeantrag]

There are numerous statistics about the strength of the different armed forces in WW2. But as a general rule all got larger year by year. Also in Germany. Over 17 Mio men were drafted in the Wehrmacht and ca. 4.7 Mio died. The truly great casualty numbers came at the end in 1944/45 which you can see also in every local memorial here in germany. But the wehrmacht was never filled up only by boy and men about fifty at the end of the war. My grandfathers were born in 1920/1921 and wore uniforms about the whole length of the war. As in every other major war they were food for the guns to serve the purpose of their state. Therefore May 8th wa and will be also the day of liberation for the German Nation from Hitlers Regime

[@johnnyblue07]

I remember during an exceptionally shitty long march between our ML and barracks, we came back exhausted, bruised and hangry. Our Staff Sergeant wanted us to eat before the next mission launch, so we started pulling out our MREs from our packs. Staff Sergeant came back with a smile and told us we're getting a hot meal thanks to the newly-arrived food service group. I don't know if it was because we were hungry or we haven't had a hot meal in weeks or both, but that meal was mouth-wateringly-delicious. It's still one of the highlights of my time in the USAF. I will never forget it.

[@JonDoe-ef4tz]

As a currently serving soldier I can tell you this the food hasn't improved all that much, You learn to scarf it down and not really care how it tastes. I will say this though if you got your ass kicked by a long field exercise or you just came back from outside the wire while you are deployed. The slop they serve you makes you so happy because you body is so exhausted and in such need of calories your brain tricks you into thinking its the best tasting thing you ever had in your life.

[@lindanorris2455]

Max: I want to say THANK YOU for nOT forgetting about WW II and for being so very respectful to the soldiers everywhere during this time. My Father went to Battle of ANzio and he never ever got over the shelling. Look up the Battle of ANzio -- get out YOUR TISSUES nefore you read up on this Italian COast Battle. Grueling and horrific!

[@Didymus20X6]

A SHORT MAN FROM TEXAS A MAN OF THE WILD THROWN INTO COMBAT WHERE BODIES LAY PILED FIGHTS HIS EMOTIONS HIS BLOOD'S RUNNING COLD JUST LIKE HIS VICTORIES HIS STORY UNFOLDS

[@brycechristensen2296]

My grandfather was a cook in Patton's 3rd Army during WW2. He opened a restaurant after the war and the stories about his cooking are family legends. He died of cancer in 1980 when I was only 2 years old, so I have no memory of his food, but I always think of him when learning about the war and about army cooking.

[@erad67]

My great-grandfather was a Navy cook. He started off with another type job, but switched to cook to have more regular hours. Or so I heard.

[@SeldimSeen1]

My Aunt Almeda's husband, Ray Woods, was a pilot for one of the landing craft. Sadly, after landing a group of troops he saw his brother killed in action. They were just a couple of West Virginia boys, serving their country. May all the brave men who landed on the beach that day Rest in Peace.

[@mebyrne]

Aw, man! You got me all excited! You were saying how this video was going to be the last one in this kitchen setting because tomorrow. . . And I was all set for you to say you and Jose were going to be cutting the ribbon on your brand new studio. I guess we are going to have to wait on that, now.😢

[@mattkulach1024]

My great grandfather wasn’t a part of d-day, but he came to the main beach three days later as a clean up crew, and my grandfather (his son) tells me that he always said that you wouldn’t believe the smell

[@katharinemichie2178]

My father was a radar tech on board HMS Orion, a British cruiser positioned at the junction of Gold and Omaha beaches. Because his job that day was to “stand by” for repairs, he spent lots of time watching troops going ashore. His most vivid memory of the day was the smell of baking bread! Orion gave protection to one of those kitchen ship moored alongside. All day, the cooks baked bread and made cauldrons of soup and cocoa. Landing craft crew came and went , receiving picnic baskets to feed themselves, and those working on the beach.

[@AmericanMeiling]

I had a family member who died the moment they landed on shore 💔 I found him via Ancestry .... Then I had another relative who was a nurse on the boat .. it's important because she was black and traveled first class !

[@paulcooper3611]

When I was in the Navy, I served on a ballistic missile submarine. We would spend 60 days under water quietly pretending we weren't there. Crates of fresh eggs were stored in the torpedo room because it was the coldest compartment on the sub. They lasted about a week. We treasured them. After that, it was powdered eggs for breakfast. After the first month, we were used to them and quite enjoyed them.

[@YouTubeIsRunByMarxists]

I grew up on powdered eggs. Pop scrounged them up from guys he knew on Active Duty to save money. He got out of the Army afte 28 years and no one would hire him; these were the days after Viet Nam. Money was damned tight and I recall pop spending hours each day sifting newspapers for leads on anything he might get. Finally, he wound up taking a job guarding prisoners in a hospital at night. He took his old service revolver and made sure none escaped. Most were there for surgeries and in too poor a condition to get out of bed. At least pop got back on a paying basis and was able to make the bills.

[@Raycheetah]

Your pop did what a man should do. He did what it took to take care of his own. ='[.]'=

[@barrygeekler6458]

God bless your pops and your family!

[@jamesyoungquist6923]

After 28 years at least he had retirement pay and free healthcare at the VA. The military is a model of how a socialist approach takes care of their members

[@glenngriffon8032]

My dad tried to get into the army but birth defects and a metal rod in his back kept him out. But his big brother did get in and would frequently send us all kinds of stuff, especially after he was deployed to take part in Operation: Desert Storm. I grew up around fatigues, ammo belts, ammo boxes, MRE's, and i was always seeing army stuff on tv. We were also pretty poor so them ration meals and MREs kept us going occasionally. My parents have disdain for ready made food but i enjoy it more than regular food. I like powdered eggs a lot more than regular eggs and don't even think about separating me from my Spam. What's funny is that aside from health issues i inherited from my parents I'm quite healthy for my age even though so many people around me keep telling me "if you keep eating that stuff you're going to be unhealthy!" Sorry folks, I've eaten this stuff since i started solid foods, reality disagrees with you.

[@andersjjensen]

Salute to Pops! That's a stand up attitude to his responsibility.

[@Maadhawk]

When I was in the Navy, juice was usually orange juice, at least for the first week or two after leaving port. Then it was powdered. In port, it was whatever was available, usually lemonade, orange juice, and apple juice. Granted I served after 9/11. Both my grandfather's were Navy in WWII.

[@jimtalbott9535]

My Grandpa was a cook in the US Army, having enlisted in early 1941. Started as a Private, and mustered out as a Master Sgt in 1945. MAN, he had some stories. He was a paymaster for a while, and got mugged in France - or attempted mugging, anyway. Before the war, he was a semi-pro Boxer. The attackers ended up in the hospital, or ran away. My Grandpa got a broken nose. But everybody got their pay.

[@user-to5qs3tk5z]

Badass grandpa!

[@gregorsamsa3016]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1030">17:10</a> Kris Kross WAS a hip hop duo in the early 90s. They were "the youngest hip-hop duo to gain success, with gold and platinum albums at 12 and 13 years old" according to Wikipedia. I vaguely remember them always on the radio from that time.

[@josephgoforth9722]

poor max, his age is catching up to him; becoming forgetful. there is also christopher cross, singer/songwriter from early 80s onward.

[@Kruppt808]

Wiggitty wiggity whack Jump Jump, Mac Dad will make you Jump Jump, Daddy Mac will make you Jump Jump Kris Cross will make you Jump Jump Uh huh uh huh

[@thenovicenovelist]

Thanks for verifying it. I thought I remembered a rap/hip hop duo by that name but I wasn't sure. Also, didn't they wear their jeans backwards or something? I remember hearing about them doing something weird like that with their clothing.

[@thenovicenovelist]

​@@josephgoforth9722I remember hearing about that singer too.

[@nyan-cp5du]

​@@thenovicenovelistI think so, and I think they also shaved patterns on their eyebrows

[@miker7233]

Years ago I had the opportunity to meet a gentleman that participated on D Day. He told me guys were getting sick. And when himself and the others exited the landing craft they just ran towards the shore. He said some guys around him were being hit and dropping down. Luckily he made it. And yes many of the soldiers did get sick from the rough ride. But they still did what they needed to do. It was an honor meeting this gentleman.

[@will53e]

Man, you have been and continue to capture history from an angle most don't, while still expanding upon and educating about history at large. You've got a great thing going, and I'm so thankful for your hard work creating this wonderful content. Best of luck in your kitchen renovations!

[@rhijulbec1]

My uncle landed on D-Day. We didn't know until he died and my brother requested his duty roster from the Canadian government. He never said a word about that, even when I interviewed him for an essay I was doing about WWII and my family's contributions, for history in high school. On both sides maternal and paternal I had 19 aunts and uncles who went overseas. I think Uncle Jimmy was the only one who was there on D-Day though. Two uncles, my mum's brothers, were on the same ship going overseas and didn't know it! It was so crowded you stayed where you were put, so they had no idea that they were on the same ship. Hard to believe what they endured. Jenn in Canada 🇨🇦 🇨🇦 🇨🇦

[@craigsawyer6453]

I have had Long Covid for over two years now, the money has long since run out, I am heartfully grateful for our local food pantry. We get a wild mix of food, after watching this D day meal, it occurred to me that perhaps someone could partner with their local pantry, using history of course, and make more "peasant" meals (loved the depression food video). At times I wish someone would have, perhaps a pamphlet of, recipes to go with the variety of food that is, at times, foreran to my my table. I know this is a strange idea, I suffer from brain fog with my MECFS, so please forgive me if this is not up your ally. As you will be out of your kitchen for the remodel, I am just trying to through out an idea that might get you out in your community and let more people know how cool your show is.

[@jaclynkurtz9808]

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. I have fibromyalgia and chronic migraines, so I can somewhat relate. I hope you can find some relief and some help.

[@craigsawyer6453]

@@jaclynkurtz9808 👍 Best to you as well.

[@buffys3477]

There are a lot of great KZbin accounts making frugal meals - one of my favourite is Ardent Michelle. A lovely woman who makes easy,tasty, healthy meals very cheaply.

[@craigsawyer6453]

@@buffys3477 Thank you, great suggestion!

[@buffys3477]

@@craigsawyer6453 I had to give up my job a year ago due to illness which started after having covid nearly 3 years ago now. I’m lucky that I have a small pension but it’s hard, I understand what you’re going through. Where I live there’s no recognition of how it’s affected people.

[@melissacarney1824]

My grandfather was an Army cook during WWII. He was an excellent cook and always made enough to feed an army.

[@user-vf4fv9fy3c]

Both my Grandfathers served. My maternal grandfather in the RAF as a gunner, and my paternal grandfather as an infantry soldier in the Scots Guard. They went through some tough battles. Mum used to love her Dad coming home, because he would always bring sweets. My dad only saw his father once, for a few days, in 6yrs…Lest we forget ❤

[@dianemayer177]

Thankyou SO MUCH for this program. I’ve been recovering for the last few months and didn’t realize this is a significant anniversary of a most significant event. D-Day, 80 years. Nearly all those brave souls men and women have passed, who fought the regime that wanted to take over the world while committing genocide. My father was proud to have served his country, being in the first wave of Battle-of the Bulge. He landed in a hospital from a grenade. But he told me so much of his experiences, editing for child appropriate. Again I thank you. Wonderful program.

[@b.elzebub9252]

It's good to remember that a lot of the people involved in D-day grew up during the great depression. So having three meals a day would have felt like a luxury to them. Having an 'all you can eat' buffet must have blown their minds.

[@michelereynolds3527]

My great uncle was wounded in the Normandy attack. When ever he came to visit my grandparents he would tell us stories from the war. I was fortunate to have most of my family members that lived through the war still alive when I was growing up in the 80s and 90s. They are all gone now but not forgotten.❤

[@mikewhicker1445]

Very interesting. My father was a U.S. Army Ranger and was in the first wave of men assaulting Omaha Beach on D-Day where he was wounded by German machinegun fire.

[@jjmarekk8093]

My father was in the US Navy, on a small patrol boat at D-Day. He told us just a few stories about that day, many sad. Later he was bitter about the planning of the attack. He felt it wasn't organized well at all. He didn't smoke, but would save the cigarettes from the ration kits and trade them for candy and other things. He would retire from the Navy and become a High School teacher. He was a great father, and he lived to be 97.

[@pricemcgee8380]

Your dad sounds like an awesome man! May he rest in peace. I hope you live just as long of a life as he did, and that it be filled with joy and happiness .

[@ragevsraid7703]

i am old as dirt. i was raised by my grandparents who i called mom and dad. My dad stormed the beaches of Normandy and parachuted into France and marched a lot in winter. He was shot and received 2 purple hearts. He never talked about anything except the basics. One time he was really drunk and told me about crawling over his friends on the beaches of normandy and getting shot and in france frostbite on his toes. My father was a very brave man, and i am happy to see what he might have ate.

[@trent4356]

As a cook currently serving in a military, I always love seeing the evolution of food on deployment, especially ration advancements.

[@outinsider]

Both my grandfathers were in the Asian theatre, as they called it, and both didn't like to talk about their experiences of war. But, considering both of them loved scrambled eggs, I can see why they loved them after experiencing powdered eggs.

[@calebleland8390]

I remember as a very young kid, hearing powdered eggs being mentioned on MASH, and making some comment about how that seemed silly. My parents, who had both served in the Navy, assured me that they existed, and that they were terrible. Dad had actually been out in the jungle on missions, and said that they only tasted good if you had gone a few days without eating, and if you had enough Tabasco. Great video, Max!

[@madibe53]

My Irish great-aunt lived on the Isle of Jersey, one of the Channel Islands between England and France during the war. She told us about watching the planes flying over during D-Day. She was riding her bike and was so awed by what she was seeing, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going and rammed into a telephone pole. Unfortunately, because of it, she was blinded in one of her eyes. She did say it was the most incredible sight she had ever seen.

[@uweschroeder]

Now this is hilarious. I remember when I was around 6 or so, we visited my Aunt in Geneva - the french speaking part of Switzerland. We were in a Bed and Breakfast and my dad wanted an egg for breakfast. Needless to say, none of us spoke french. So I remember my dad doing exactly what that soldier did: doing all the kickeriki, wing flap and laying egg mimic until the lady running the B&B got the message that he was looking for a boiled egg. She told us it's called "oef" and ventured off to provide said egg (actually several of them). My mother was very embarrassed, my dad didn't care - he had what he wanted - and us kids were quietly smiling at each other...

[@americanviking9384]

I've been reading through the comments of people sharing stories of their family members serving in the War, and im overwhelmed with gratitude of what these brave men accomplished. Thank you for sharing a part of our history ❤️

[@connorgolden4]

This is a meal my grandfather would’ve had that day.

[@MysteriumArcanum]

My grandpa probably had something similar, though he was in the Canadian army so who knows?

[@connorgolden4]

@@MysteriumArcanummaybe Canadian bacon hahaha I wonder if there’s any information you can find online?

[@TheHonestPeanut]

Same for both of mine. And my great grandfather.

[@MysteriumArcanum]

@@connorgolden4 apparently if I had just waited a bit before commenting I'd have gotten my answer. The Canadians apparently also had bacon/ham and powdered eggs

[@jlshel42]

I had a rough day yesterday, marked one year since my cat Jimmy passed away. Seeing a new vid from Max made me smile this AM.

[@EricGranata]

“You-you alone-will have the stars as no one else has them-” “And at night you will look up at the stars. My star will just be one of the stars, for you. “In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night And so you will love to watch all the stars… You-only you-will have stars that can laugh. I shall not leave you” There is sweetness in the laughter of all the stars…. and in the memories of those we love.”

[@ericthompson3982]

So sorry to hear about your cat. I know the feeling. Hopefully you take some comfort knowing that your fur ball knew it was loved. Take your time with it. I know it hurts, but you, I'm sure, gave kitty plenty of love, and kitty gave it back.

[@ericthompson3982]

"You will no longer know who I am, or what I mean, but I will be good health to you nevertheless, and filter and fibre your blood." ~Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass.

[@melissalambert7615]

First anniversary of the loss is the hardest one. Hope you are brave enough to get another fur baby soon. So much love out there looking for a home.

[@jlshel42]

@@melissalambert7615 thanks, may be a while before I get a pet. Had a lot of recent family and friend deaths including my father before my cat Jimmy passed. His passing put me over the edge for a while last year. Glad to be in a better place in life now.

[@colleenuchiyama4916]

These were the men in my family, my neighborhood, my schools. They were mostly quiet, hard working men. They never told us about anything until they were very old. And only if you asked. They saved us all. Thank you uncle John, uncle Johnny, uncle Franklin, uncle Tommy, and Uncle Donald. And thank you Aunt Marj . Ran a 200 acre farm, was a nurse, was a WAC, and had 2 boys under the age of 4.

[@JenniferIngraham]

On June 6th this year, my family and I will be getting together to remember and honor this momentous event. I plan to make dinner entirely from the US Navy cook book. Great episode and keep up the good work.

[@MichaelBerthelsen]

I was born on June 6th, so every year, my birthday was an anniversary of the death of tens of thousands of people. A very strange experience. But having this information about their potential last meal, and how ordinary it was, how normal, it is unusual, so thank you for this.♥️👍

[@TastingHistory]

Happy almost birthday

[@Fortepiano666]

Me too! Although, being born precisely at 6:00 on June 6th usually gets an “The Omen” reference.

[@barriemilgate]

@@Fortepiano666 I was born on the 6th of June also, but 10 past 6 in the evening. When at school people wanted to shave my head just in case to look for the 666.

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

I knew a kid who was born on September 11th, imagine how he feels…well I guess you can

[@thenovicenovelist]

​@@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606 My mom's birthday is September 11th. Every time she has to tell a pharmacist or someone else her birthday they always say, "Oh! Nine-eleven. Like the terrorist attack."

[@shadeitplease7383]

Max i live in New Orleans and the WW2 museum is incredible. It’s my favorite place in the city. They have added so much stuff since the last time I went in overdue for a visit. You definitely are gonna want the whole 2 days. I tell everyone who visits that has even a passing interest in history to visit. Also very reasonable as far as pricing. Base ticket is like $35 with a second day pass only being $11. If yall come to the city the WW2 museum is a must. Truly breathtaking.

[@Tker1970]

I LOVE that museum.

[@catherinesanchez1185]

New Orleans is in my bucket list and you just added to the things I’ll need to see when I eventually go there !!

[@jenj6489]

My husband and I celebrated one of our milestone anniversaries in New Orleans a few years back and spent a whole day at the museum. It’s truly an extraordinary experience. My grandfather had been a cook on a ship in the Pacific in WW2 so those Pacific theater exhibits had been especially interesting to me. Gave me a whole new appreciation for what the troops had endured as well as their families back home…. ❤️

[@joanhoffman3702]

Another reason for a return visit!

[@shadeitplease7383]

@@catherinesanchez1185 it’s a great city and can be a lot of fun! Definitely gonna want to plan 2 days for the museum because it’s so much to see even if you get there first thing and then rush all day you still might miss something. And they have all kinds of cool shows and experiences now that weren’t there last time I went

[@alaksandra1979]

My grandfather was from south Texas and spoke Spanish (and English), and earned his purple heart (posthumous) for his actions in Italy. He never spoke of the horrors of war. He was a farmer and a humble man. He only spoke of the Italian families who took a shine to him since he resembled their sons (dark skin, hair and eyes). They made sure he ate good. Communicating was a challenge but enough Spanish words sound very similar to Italian words that they had an understanding with each other. But he only spoke of food, and I love that about him. ❤

[@kyliecross2156]

We visited the beaches, museums, and memorials in Normandy a few years ago while on a trip to France. There is no way to accurately describe what it feels like to stand on those beaches. It’s a mixture of sadness and pride. The amount of suffering and loss of life was incomprehensible to me. And the sense of pride in the bravery of the allied forces was overwhelming. As a military family it was a bucket list item for us.

[@nathanl8622]

Between this and the Fallout food on Binging with Babish, that's two recipes today I've seen use powdered eggs. That is two more recipes than I needed to see use powdered eggs.

[@ferdonandebull]

My dad was a paratrooper during the Korea war. He trained paratroopers and he said he ate oatmeal with milk and sugar and a glass of milk on the days he jumped. Air sickness was a thing when men were scared. When I said that seemed light and he said he carried hard candy or sugar cubes in case they were too busy to eat. I thought the milk thing was strange but dad never drank coffee. He died at ninety and his wieght didn’t fluctuate more than ten pounds from when he was a paratrooper. He really saw food as just fuel and didn’t eat anything that “didn’t make sense”

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

Have you heard of the tootsie roll story from Korea? That’s a crazy story of how sugar affects your body when it’s starved

[@ferdonandebull]

@@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606 the chosin reservoir story?

[@martholobew]

The skipper of the vessel nicknamed “Popeye”, was the man !!

[@misstinahamilton5714]

I admire any vet that has gone through any conflict . Everything was just hard and precarious . I'm a vet but did not get deployed to any conflicts . I recall having a client who had an uncle that was a Vietnam vet . He fought through a bombing and army crawled his way to safety as he held his head onto his neck , because when he was struck he felt his neck detach . How he survived I'll never know . He did suffer horrible PTSD the rest of his life .

[@annainspain5176]

Listening to those Army instructions I got a flashback of Hawkeye Pierce trying to tell the 4077th's cook how to make perfect French toast and the guy hurling egg powder and milk powder into a huge bin and turning the hose on them.

[@Lionstar16]

"We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender." - Winston Churchill

[@nothingbutchappy]

Just ignore Singapore...

[@Justanotherconsumer]

@@nothingbutchappyI guess we also forgot Poland.

[@ELCinWYO]

My kids visited the WWII museum in New Orleans and took a swamp tour. While the pictures from the swamp tour had them grinning, they still talk about the museum and it's been over a year. Definitely a valuable part of their vacation.

[@titaniumsalmon3238]

My Grandfather was a cook for the US military during WW2, always wish he was around to see these videos paying respect to his service

[@Mr_Fahrenheit_]

"I have one earnest conviction in this war. It is that no other war in history has so definitely lined up the forces of arbitrary oppression and dictatorship against those of human rights and individual liberty." - General Dwight D. Eisenhower Awesome episode as always, Max.

[@Kruppt808]

I Like Ike

[@BTScriviner]

Too bad so many in America now seemed determined to choose dictatorship at the next election.

[@Thialeana]

I really appreciate this episode. My grandfather was one of the many who went through France during D Day. He rarely talked a bout things that happened during the war. But he did say he had a friend who had family in Italy during this time. And the friend's family offered them an over night place to stay. Complete with a home cook chicken dinner. My Grandfather was a farm, country boy. So this would have been a big deal for him. He saved his appetite all day, only to find spaghetti was offered first. They didn't tell him there would be a second course so he filled up on spaghetti and was so disappointed when they did bring out the chicken dinner because he was full by then. He passed away in 2002 and never ate spaghetti again lol.

[@jennycorey8683]

If you are into WW2 History Conneaut Ohio on the shores of Lake Erie every year has the Largest D-Day reenactment with a beach landings ,troop encampment from American to British French to German. People dressed in period clothes. It’s worth the experience at least once especially the actual beach landing battle.