This photo shows how C4 was used to heat water for making coffee,
tea and hot chocolate in Vietnam. A small stove was made by punching
holes in the sides of a small C-rations can that had been opened at one
end. A small amount of C4 was put in the stove and made to burn by
touching a lit cigarette to it. This method of heating water was much
quicker than using the heat tabs that came with the C-rations.
C4 is a plastic explosive with putty-like qualities that needs a blasting
cap to detonate it. But when made to burn it would do so with tremendous
heat. Just a small marble-sized ball was all that was needed to bring a cup
of water rapidly to the boiling point. If too much C4 was used, it would burn
so hot that it would melt the bottom out of a can of water.
This photo was taken by Bruce Williams in his bunker on Hill 37 near Dai Loc.
Many thanks to Bruce Williams, former 3/7 Mortar man, for supplying
this great, seldom seen photo for inclusion in the scrapbook.
