What does a notch in a dog tag mean?
Soldiers deploying to fight in the trenches of WWI were given two coin-like metal discs, each marked with their name. … That notch was used to align the metal plate on the machine that embossed the information. The notch became the center of U.S. military troops’ first myth around their dog tags.
Origins of the “Dog Tag” Nickname
According to the Army Historical Foundation, the term “dog tag” was first coined by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. In 1936, Hearst wanted to undermine support for President Franklin D. Roosevelts New Deal. He had heard the newly formed Social Security Administration was considering giving out nameplates for personal identification. According to the SSA, Hearst referred to them as “dog tags” similar to those used in the military.
Other rumored origins of the nickname include World War II draftees calling them dog tags because they claimed they were treated like dogs. Another rumor said it was because the tags looked similar to the metal tag on a dogs collar.
Regardless of where the nickname started, the concept of an identification tag originated long before that.
Making It Official
The first official request to outfit service members with ID tags came in 1899 at the end of the Spanish-American war. Army Chaplain Charles C. Pierce — who was in charge of the Army Morgue and Office of Identification in the Philippines — recommended the Army outfit all soldiers with the circular disks to identify those who were severely injured or killed in action.
It took a few years, but in December 1906, the Army put out a general order requiring aluminum disc-shaped ID tags be worn by soldiers. The half-dollar size tags were stamped with a soldiers name, rank, company and regiment or corps, and they were attached to a cord or chain that went around the neck. The tags were worn under the field uniform.
The order was modified in July 1916, when a second disc was required to be suspended from the first by a short string or chain. The first tag was to remain with the body, while the second was for burial service record keeping. The tags were given to enlisted men, but officers had to buy them.
The Navy didnt require ID tags until May 1917. By then, all U.S. combat troops were required to wear them. Exact size specifications were put in place, and the tags also included each mans Army-issued serial number. Toward the end of World War I, American Expeditionary Forces in Europe added religious symbols to the tags — C for Catholic, H for Hebrew and P for Protestant — but those markings didnt remain after the war.
Let’s Put This Rumor To Rest: Why Did Dog Tags Have Notches?
The iconic piece of identification has origins with the military that dates back more than 150 years.
As a result, dog tags are generally considered one of the most symbolic features of military service.
Learn everything you need to know about U.S. Armed Forces identification, including the 8 things that are on military dog tags.
However, dog tags (given the nickname because of the manner they are worn around the neck) also serve as a source of pride.
While military dog tags are primarily designed to identify soldiers that are seriously injured or killed on the battlefield, they are also a testament to survival.
For some, it becomes a sentimental token to a fellow soldier and friend lost in combat.
It’s believed that newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst coined the nickname “dog tags” for modern military identification.
Reportedly, Hearst was not a fan of the concept and thus referred to dog tags in a derogatory fashion.
Nevertheless, more than a century later, military dog tags remain iconic as well as cherished by veterans.
It includes personal information such as full name, blood type, and inoculation history (more information, below).
Military dog tags are rust-resistant and traditionally worn with a chain that hangs around the neck.
The purpose of the second tag is that it can be removed from the victim in the event the body cannot immediately be removed from the battlefield.
The legendary Greek warriors were known to carve their names on sticks which they then tied to the wrist.
Furthermore, Legionaries in the Roman army wore lead disks around their necks engraved with personal details.
Regardless, it was the Chinese military which became the first in the modern era to incorporate identification tags into the uniform.
In the mid-19th century, Chinese soldiers wore tags attached to belts that were made from wood.
Sadly, due to the high causality rate, there was a pressing need for a standard identification system.
Consequently, soldiers adopted multiple methods (sewing names to a uniform, pinning note to uniform, etc) for creating identification.
Later, metal tags or pins became more practical since they are durable and resistant to moisture and damage.
It wasn’t until the early 20th century that the U.S. Army made dog tags compulsory for enlisted personnel.
The original military dog tags consisted of 1) the name, 2) rank, 3) company, and 4) regiment of the soldier.
At first, it was mandatory in the U.S. Army to display dog tags around the neck.
Eventually, in 1917, the U.S. Navy also made dog tags a mandatory piece of the sailor uniform.
The rest of the military branches of the U.S. Armed Forces would follow the same guidelines, shortly thereafter.
In the past, military dog tags looked a lot different then they do now (more information, below).
For example, in the WWII era it was the norm to also have your religious denomination displayed on the dog tag.
However, the Department of Defense (DoD) later found some of this information to be invasive, and rightfully so.
The rumor was the small notch allowed the tags to be stuck between the teeth (and therefore not lost) while the dead soldier was transported back home.
Fortunately, it’s just a rumor as the actual purpose behind the notch were far more wholesome.
It allowed the tag to be placed correctly in a machine which printed off the embossed letters.
After World War II, the DoD elected to drop the next of kin information from standard-issue dog tags.
The U.S. Armed Forces removed the notorious small notch from dog tags beginning in the Vietnam era.
Later, in 2015, the military replaced the social security number with the soldier’s Defense Department ID number.