WWII Dog Tags 1941-1945

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$9.95

Korean War Dog Tags 1950-1953

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$9.95

Vietnam Era Dog Tags 1954-1964

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Set of Vietnam War Era Notched Dog Tags includes:

Notched dog tags were standard issue until December
  1964. The Department of Defense official switched to dog
  tags with out notches in early 1965.

  Note that as is the usual. Bases with older style tags on
  hand did issue them for a time in 1965 and as late and 1966.

  Click to order Vietnam Notched Dog Tags

 Set of Notched Dog Tags includes:
  2 Indent Stamped, Notched Stainless Steel Tags
  1 Stainless Steel 24" chain, not shown
  1 Stainless Steel 4.5" chain, not shown
  2 Black Silencers, not shown
 

$9.95

Vietnam Era Dog Tags 1965-1980's

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 1965-1967 Vietnam Era Dog Tag

  Tag VN # 1 - Edge is rolled to the back and the hole is on
  the right. Service number is indicated.. "RA" stands for
  Regular Army.

  Set # 1 of Vietnam Dog Tags includes:
  2 Stamped, Stainless Steel Dog Tags-Indent Text
  1 Stainless Steel 24" chain, not shown
  1 Stainless Steel 5.5" chain, not shown
  2 Black Silencers, not shown
 

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  Set #3 of Vietnam Dog Tags includes:
  2 Stamped, Stainless Steel Dog Tags-Indent Text
  1 Stainless Steel 24" chain, not shown
  1 Stainless Steel 5.5" chain, not shown
  2 Black Silencers, not shown
 

Note about Dog Tags from WWII - 1970's

PLEASE NOTE:

 Indent Style (Sunken lettering). Indent was the
 only type used during WWII, the Korean War and
 Vietnam War. We do not make current issue US m tags.
 

Other Types Available

No Photo

Animal Tag

Stainless Steel Key Tag includes:
  1 Stamped, Stainless Steel Dog Tag-Indent Text
  1 Stainless Steel 4.5" chain, not shown
 

$4.25

No Photo

Key Ring Tag

Stainless Steel Key Tag includes:
  1 Stamped, Stainless Steel Dog Tag-Indent Text
  1 Stainless Steel 4.5" chain, not shown
 

$4.25

No Photo

  Children's Medical Dog Tag

  Stainless Steel Med. Tag includes:
  1 Stamped, Stainless Steel Dog Tag-Indent Text
  1 Stainless Steel 24" chain, not shown
  1 Yellow Silencer

Recommend:
   Child's Name, Phone #, Blood Type & Med. Alert.

Small investment for a child attending grad school.
 

$5.25

A Little Dog Tag History

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First World War

The British Army and their Imperial forces in Canada, Australia and New Zealand issued identification tags from the beginning of the First World War. The tags were made of fibre, one in red and one in green and suspended around the neck by butcher's twine. The same pattern was worn into the Second World War and the Korean War by Commonwealth forces.

The U.S. Army first authorized identification tags in War Department General Order No. 204, dated December 20, 1906, which essentially prescribes the Kennedy identification tag:

"An aluminum identification tag, the size of a silver half dollar and of suitable thickness, stamped with the name, rank, company, regiment, or corps of the wearer, will be worn by each officer and enlisted man of the Army whenever the field kit is worn, the tag to be suspended from the neck, underneath the clothing, by a cord or thong passed through a small hole in the tab. It is prescribed as a part of the uniform and when not worn as directed herein will be habitually kept in the possession of the owner. The tag will be issued by the Quartermaster's Department gratuitously to enlisted men and at cost price to officers..."

The Army changed regulations on July 6, 1916, so that all soldiers were issued two tags: one to stay with the body and the other to go to the person in charge of the burial for record-keeping purposes. In 1918, the Army adopted and allotted the serial number system, and name and serial numbers were ordered stamped on the identification tags of all enlisted troops. (Serial number 1 was assigned to enlisted man Arthur B. Crane of Chicago in the course of his fifth enlistment period.) In 1969 the Army began transitioning (Servicemen were issued both a SSN and SN) to the Social Security number for personnel identification. Some nations (e.g. Germany) had instead a single tag with identical information stamped on both sides of it, which could easily be broken off for the purpose of record-keeping.

World War II

The more familiar rounded-end rectangular stainless steel tags known as the M1940 were introduced by the Army in 1940 during the Second World War (1939-1945). These Army dog tags were stamped with letters and numbers using either manual or electric stamping machines resembling industrial size typewriters. By 1943 the Army was distributing sets of tags including one long chain, one short chain and two stainless steel tags. The chains had flat links…the beaded chain came later. The purpose of the short chain was to keep the tags separated to prevent them from making noise in the field. In addition, the small chain could be separated from the long chain for purposes of body identification. It was typically placed around the soldiers toe, (if available) and left exposed while the body remained covered.

There is a recurring myth about the notch situated in one end of the dog tags issued to United States Army personnel during World War II. It was rumored that the notch's purpose was so that if a soldier found one of his comrades on the battlefield, he could take one tag to the commanding officer and stick the other between the teeth of the soldier to ensure that the tag would remain with the body and be identified. Actually, the notch is there simply to hold the tag in place on the embossing machine, (Model 70 used by medical staff)..

Interesting note - Apparently instructions that would confirm this myth were issued at least unofficially during the Vietnam war to Army troops headed overseas.

Following World War II, the US Navy Department, (in 1959) adopted the dog tags used by the US Army and Air Force, so a single shape and size became the American standard.

Vietnam War

In the Vietnam War, American soldiers were allowed to place rubber silencers on their dog tags so the enemy would not hear the metallic clanking. Others chose to tape the two tags together with black tape. Still others chose to wear one tag around the neck, and the other tag on the lace of one boot. All three variations were commonly seen among U.S. troops.

Prior to the use of Social Security Numbers on dog tags beginning in the 1960s, the military printed the individual's military service (or serial) number.

Black Dog Tags - During the Vietnam War (1963-1975) subdued black dog tags were issued to Special Operation Forces operating behind enemy lines. It was also during this time that the WWII white hard plastic or rubber silencer was replaced with a softer black rubber material.

Dog tags are traditionally part of the makeshift battlefield memorials soldiers create to their fallen comrades. The casualty's rifle with bayonet affixed is stood vertically atop the empty boots, with the helmet over the stock of the rifle. The dog tags hang from the rifle's handle or trigger guard. Service members also often give them to loved ones before deployments or when dating, similar to the student practice of giving a sweetheart one's letterman jacket or ring to wear.