Dog TagsThere are numerous styles and subtle changes made to dog tags from WWII through Vietnam. In this section, we will attempt to show the “most common” style for different time periods. The main difference is the use of a “notched” tag or of a “regular” tag. The notched were used from WWII until about 1964 when the regular tag was adopted. All tags are based on 5 lines of information with a maximum of 17 characters / spaces per line.
First Name, MI, Last Name
JOHN D SMITH
Army Serial #, tetanus dates, blood type
12345678 T42 43 A
Next of Kin
JANE SMITH
Street Address for Next of Kin
3456 ANY STREET
City & State and Religious Preference
ANYTOWN, TX P
First Name, MI, Last Name
JOHN D SMITH
Army Serial #, tetanus dates, blood type
12345678 T43 44 A
Blank
Blank
Religious Preference
P
Last Name, First Name, MI
SMITH, JOHN D
Army Serial #, Tetanus Dates, Blood Type
12345678 T43 44 A
Blank
Blank
Religious Preference
P
Introduction:
The Identification Tag was first introduced 20 December 1906 by General Order # 204, which described it as follows: … an aluminum Identification Tag, the size of a silver Half Dollar, stamped with the name, rank, company, regiment, or corps of the wearer; it will be worn by each Officer and Enlisted Man of the Army whenever the field kit is worn; it will be suspended from the neck, underneath the clothing by means of a cord or thong passed through a small hole in the Tag; it is further described as being part of the uniform…” This Identification Tag will be issued by the Quartermaster Corps, gratuitously to Enlisted Men ant at the cost price to the Officers. The “sole” purpose for wearing “Dog Tags” was to enable positive identification of a casualty or remains, and to make a difference both for the families and the authorities, should the person end up as being ‘known but to God!’ Following a number of inquiries related to Identification Tags and with the purpose to help collectors & re-enactors complete their WW2 impressions correctly, we thought it might come in handy to say a few words about “Dog Tags” worn by Medical Personnel, e.g. Army Nurse Corps – Hospital Dietitian – Physical Therapist – Contract Surgeon. They all used specific prefixes and numerals on their Identification Tags, and while dealing with the subject, we thought some additional data on the subject of “Dog Tags” in general, would also be welcome …
If you have an original dog tag, you can send it to us and we will figure out the spacing. See options below for uploading a picture. Indent text, because it is stamped downward, has a tendency, over time, to gather dirt within the letters. This makes the letters easier to read. If you would like, we can add black color to the letters for an additional $5.00 USD.