The Sweet Side of Military Rations

Anyone who has served in the armed forces will tell you military rations aren’t exactly dinner at The Ritz-Carlton. In fact, many items are less flavorful than a plain Ritz cracker. Early on, servicemembers asked that candy be added to the ration menu, and military food scientists, in collaboration with commercial candy manufacturers, worked hard to grant that wish.

However, the first joint venture between the military and a candy manufacturer must have been a huge disappointment for military personnel. Rather than a treat to satisfy a servicemember’s sweet tooth, the resulting The creation of the D-bar dates back to April 1937, when the Army Quartermaster General sent Capt. Paul Logan to meet with William Murrie, president of the Hershey Chocolate Corp. (known today as The Hershey Co.), to discuss the creation of a ration bar that would meet the nutritional needs of soldiers.

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