Military Definitions - K

A to Z Blogging Challenge.  My topic is MILITARY DEFINITIONS.

K – Kilo

morse code – dash dot dash

Kiloton weapon — a nuclear weapon, the yield of which is measured in terms of thousands of tons of trinitrotoluene explosive equivalents, producing yields from 1 to 999 kilotons.

K-ration – an individual daily combat food ration introduced by the Army during World War II.  It provided three separately boxed meals: breakfast, dinner (lunch) and supper (dinner).  Widely criticized for being deficient in calories and nutrition.

     Breakfast Unit: canned entree veal (early version), canned chopped ham and eggs (subsequent versions), biscuits, dextrose or malted milk tablets (early version), dried fruit bar, pre-mixed oatmeal cereal (late version), Halazone water purification tablets, a four-pack of cigarettes, Dentyne or Wrigley chewing gum, instant coffee, and sugar.

     Dinner/Lunch Unit: canned entree pork luncheon meat (early version), canned processed American cheese, Swiss and American cheese, or bacon and cheese (subsequent versions), biscuits, 15 Dextrose or malted milk (diastatic malt) tablets (early) or five caramels (late), sugar, salt packet, a four-pack of cigarettes and a box of matches, chewing gum, and a powdered beverage packet [lemon, orange, or grape flavor].

     Supper Unit: canned meat, consisting of cervelat sausage (early version), either pork luncheon meat with carrot or apple (first issue), beef and pork loaf (second issue); biscuits; a 2-ounce D ration emergency chocolate bar (early version), Tropical bar or (in temperate climates) commercial sweet chocolate bar (late version), a packet of toilet paper tissues; a four-pack of cigarettes; chewing gum, and a bouillon packet (cube or powder).