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USO Canteen FReeper Style... Dog Tags... September 25, 2002
FRiends of the USO Canteen and Snow Bunny

Posted on 09/24/2002 11:50:08 PM PDT by Snow Bunny

Dog Tags
Past, Present and Future

Arlington National Cemetary is not the only resting place for "Unknown Soldiers." Countless American soldiers have died defending our way of life throughout the history of this great nation; many of their graves are marked with a single word,"unknown."

The American Civil War (1861-1865) provided the first recorded incident of American soldiers making an effort to ensure that their identities would be known should they be killed on the battlefield. 42% of all Civil War dead remain unknown.

Their methods varied, and all were taken on by the soldier's own initiative. In 1863, before the battle of Mine's Run in northern Virginia, troops wrote their names and units on paper tags and pinned them to their clothing. Many soldiers took great care in marking all of their personal belongings. Some troops made their own id tags out of wood, boring a hole in an end so that they could be worn on a string.

The commercial sector saw the demand for an identificatuion method and provided products. Harpers Weekly Magazine advertised "Soldier's Pins" which could be mail ordered. Made of silver or gold, these pins were inscribed with an individual's name and unit designation. Private vendors who followed troops also offered  id tags for sale just prior to battles. Soldiers also fashioned tags out of  coins by scraping one side smooth and engaving or stamping name and unit.


A 18 x 35 mm German silver pin


Spanish-American War dog tag from 1898. It contained unit,
company and individual number.


An ID tag made from a coin

Despite the fact that fear of being listed amoung the unknowns was a real concern among the rank and file, no reference to an official issue of identification tags by the Federal Government exists from the Civil War.

The first official advocacy of issuing id tags took place in 1899. Chaplain Charles C. Pierce recommended that a "identity disc"be included in the standard combat field kit, though the first official introduction of one tag didn't happen until December of 1906.

The Army Regulations of 1913 made a identification tag mandatory. In July of 1916 a second tag was added, and by 1917 all combat troops wore aluminum discs on rope or chain. In February of 1918 the official introduction of Serial Numbers started. 


An aluminum WWI set with Serial Number on back


Two-time winner of the Metal of Honor
USMC SgtMaj Dan Daly's tag


WWI
USMC Lt.Gen Holland Smith's
brass tag


An example of the stamping set used on early tag sets.

Next in the evolution of dog tags came what is known as the Navy/Marine style of tag (as seen above) a more oblong shape with more uniform printing. First made of brass and then a "Monel" metal (a patented corrosion-resistant alloy of nickel and copper, melded with small amounts of iron and manganese ) proved to be more corrosion resistant. In  October of 1938 the start of tests for a new identification tags started, and by 1940 it was adopted.


The M-1940 "notched" dog tag

By the early 70's the "notch" was removed to the present day tag.

The United States Armed Forces is currently developing and testing a new tag , which will hold 80% of a soldiers medical and dentail records on a mircochip known by several names: The Individually Carried Record, Meditag, The Tactical Medical Coordination System and Personal Information Carriers (PIC). It is not intended to replace the present tag, but rather to augment it as part of the "paperless battlefield" concept.


The yellow TacMedCS being tested by the Marines uses radio frequency technology, electronics and
global-positioning systems to pin-point wounded.


The black rubber encased PIC is currently under DoD testing.

Tags from Other Countries


A Czarist Russia, WWI tags
aid to be found at
the 1914 Tannenburg site.



A French WWI bracelet id tag


British WWI ,brass, Dog Tag


An Austrian WWI brass locket with paper information inside with the
owner's name engraved on the outside

Dog Tag Chains

There have been several different types of chains used during the evolution of the U.S. dog tag, every thing from shoe laces to the current ball chain.


Early 1940's monofilament plastic with metal ends, yellowed with age.


simple rope


1943 issue cord

 

These two types solved the major problem with soft cord, metal chains will withstand fire, above is a reprint of a quartermaster manual showing the first of the metal chain set with what are referred to as sister hooks small clasps on the end of the chains.


This silver set was favored by officers

The Military has come a long way from
hanging pieces of wood around our necks.



TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: usocanteen
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To: SAMWolf

221 posted on 09/25/2002 6:45:51 PM PDT by Victoria Delsoul
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To: SAMWolf
I like Barry White. LOL


222 posted on 09/25/2002 6:45:55 PM PDT by SpookBrat
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To: MeeknMing
Hi Meekie! Sorry I missed you today. How is Ming? Here is another flower for her. These are called Chinese Hat. :) Aren't they pretty?


223 posted on 09/25/2002 6:49:06 PM PDT by SpookBrat
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To: AntiJen

Excellent post, Jen. Thanks so much.
224 posted on 09/25/2002 6:49:29 PM PDT by Victoria Delsoul
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To: MoJo2001
Congratulations Mojo! What a wonderful milestone you have reached! You have come so far and there is so far to go! may you and your husband always be blessed in your special union!
225 posted on 09/25/2002 6:50:39 PM PDT by MistyCA
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To: BeforeISleep
to the Canteen. Glad you stopped in.
226 posted on 09/25/2002 6:51:16 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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To: LindaSOG; MoJo2001
1994 - Mr. and Mrs. MoJo2001 tie the knot

Bravo!

227 posted on 09/25/2002 6:51:27 PM PDT by Victoria Delsoul
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To: tomkow6
Awesome picture Tomkow! Thanks so much for putting it up. Pictures of our military is probably my favorite thing on the canteen. Sorry I missed you today. I guess you're in bed by now. See you tomorrow.


228 posted on 09/25/2002 6:51:56 PM PDT by SpookBrat
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To: SAMWolf
SAM, I really liked that Psalms 18 post you put up the other day. Was it from Psalm 18? Can you put it up everyday? I loved it. It was very powerful and it's the TRUTH. I would help me to remember the TRUTH everyday. God's promises never fail.
229 posted on 09/25/2002 6:53:46 PM PDT by SpookBrat
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To: tomkow6
I will do my best to make sure that our young men & women, serving in our Armed Forces, will NOT be forgotten! That's why I do this, nothing more.

Thanks Tom. God Bless.

230 posted on 09/25/2002 6:53:48 PM PDT by Victoria Delsoul
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To: MoJo2001
I am so glad you are happy with your Navy experience. I like the Navy,but mostly because my dad and brother were both in the Navy:)


231 posted on 09/25/2002 6:55:25 PM PDT by MistyCA
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To: Tom Humble
Mr Humble, Sir. So nice to see you here today. Thanks for your writings honoring our troops, vets, and allies.
232 posted on 09/25/2002 6:57:13 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
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To: SpookBrat
He has a great voice!
233 posted on 09/25/2002 6:57:34 PM PDT by SAMWolf
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To: tomkow6
Oh, Tom! Dang it all anyhow!
234 posted on 09/25/2002 6:57:46 PM PDT by MistyCA
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To: Severa
Hi Severa. I'm so busy with homeschooling, it's hit or miss on the Canteen for me. I feel bad for not getting to talk to you lately. I hope your boys are doing fine. Thank you for posting here on the Canteen. I think our little group of military wives are an encouragement to the troops, at least the ones who miss their wives back home. Thank you, MoJo and Gator Girl for setting an example of strength for all of us.

I know you are an encouragement to me and I appreciate it.


235 posted on 09/25/2002 7:03:10 PM PDT by SpookBrat
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To: HighWheeler
2. The need for the same style of shoes in different colors.

This issue was the subject of our first fight in our marriage. That and the issue of black shoes in winter and white shoes in summer. Ally needed black shoes for winter and DH was mad because the white ones still fit her. He just didn't get it. You NEVER wear white shoes in winter. *GASP* The horror!

236 posted on 09/25/2002 7:05:46 PM PDT by SpookBrat
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To: SAMWolf
He is very good. Love his voice, mmm mmm!


237 posted on 09/25/2002 7:06:11 PM PDT by Victoria Delsoul
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To: B4Ranch
ROFL!!!!!! That's a good one.
238 posted on 09/25/2002 7:06:32 PM PDT by SpookBrat
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To: SpookBrat




Thank you !! I just printed that out for her. I'll show it to her when she gets
home, which should be momentarily. Yippee !!

Signing off for tonight, folks. G'night !

239 posted on 09/25/2002 7:08:41 PM PDT by MeekOneGOP
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To: leadpenny
Hi leadpenny. How are you doing? How is your son? It's always good to see you.


240 posted on 09/25/2002 7:09:19 PM PDT by SpookBrat
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