<< To say someone has an M3? - What? Sub-machine gun? Tank? Truck?
Half-track, Gun Mount, Water Bottle >>
The problem lies not in the system but in the improper use of it.
The system works from front to back placing the item into increasingly
specific catagories.
Rations, dried, nasty. M1
Rations, dried, tasty. M1
Rations, dried, tasty. M2
Rations, dried, very-nasty, M1 (Enlisted use only)
Rations, tinned, slimy, tasty.
Rations, tinned, slimy, nasty. M-1(Includes Ham and Eggs)
Rations, tinned, slimy, nasty. T-2 (Includes Pork Loaf)
So everything that can possibly be considered a ration in placed in one
catagory and then broken down more specifically as you go down the line. If an
improved or replacement item that showed up, it would get the next numerical
designator as shown.
The T means that an item is expiramental.
Not everything has an M-number to begin with, at least they didn't use to.
If Rations, tinned, slimy, nasty., was the only thing in the inventory that
could be described as such it would not have a number. It would just be
Rations,tinned, slimy, nasty. You notice it includes Ham and Eggs, but when
they brought out the new tinned ration including pork loaf they needed some
way to differentiat between the two. So if it is accepted it will become
Rations, tinned, slimy, M2.
If you refer to your M-1 rifle as a "Garand" Most folks will know what you are
talking about but if you need to order a new firing pin then you had better
call it U.S. Rifle Cal. 30 M-1.
How many people know the WWII jeep by its actual name? Truck, 1/4 Ton, 4x4.
Ford Model GPW or Willys Model MB.
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