Dog Tag Found in Vietnam
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  1. #1

    Dog Tag Found in Vietnam

    I just returned from a site seeing tour of Vietnam and one of the places we visited was a family whose business is collecting metal from battle fields around Da Nang. Using a metal detector they recover shrapnel, brass, bombs, mortar and artillery rounds (some still live!). He also found a Marine dog tag which I bought from him; it could be a fake but if it is, it is a good one. I would like to return it to the Marine if possible but I have no idea how to proceed. I have attached photos but have intentionally blurred the last three digits of his serial number as I will require proof before I will give it to anyone.
    I’m not sure if this is the correct forum to ask for help locating this Marine (or family) but if anyone could give me some guidance I would appreciate it.
    Mr. Gale

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  2. #2
    Marine Free Member m14ed's Avatar
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    I eyeballed the pic's you posted @ max resilution that i can get with my browser..
    OF the few things i can tell you about the tag.

    It lacks his service number, and his blood type from what i can see., which means to me it may or may not be authentic.
    IF it is authentic,, it may have been used to "Tag" a personal piece of equipment.

    the number (4 digits ) may have been his mos, <i couldnt read them> with my browser.

    IF you post the information that you can read in TEXT , someone MAY be able to help..
    Other than that, it will take a lotta effort perhaps to find the owner.
    Good luck, and thanks for the thought


    not sure how Cathlic or why cathlic was on the tag , may or may not help


    Last edited by m14ed; 02-04-11 at 05:41 AM. Reason: spelling

  3. #3
    This is mine from 1956 and it is a little different from the you have posted .




  4. #4
    Marine Free Member Riven37's Avatar
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    These are the only Salinas on the wall minus tow Army guys...

    PFC ANTONIO MONTANO SALINAS

    PFC DAVID GREGORY SALINAS

    LCPL JAIME ARTURO SALINAS

    PFC JOE MANUEL SALINAS

    SSGT MERCEDES PEREZ SALINAS

    LCPL PHILLIP LOUIE SALINAS

    SGT RAMIRO LOPEZ SALINAS


  5. #5

    Cleaned up

    From the Tag I'm getting:
    Last name: Salinas
    First: M. ,Jr. or N. , JR.
    Blood Type: O
    #: 3535XXX or 3536XXX
    USMC V or USMC X
    Religious preference: Catholic


  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by MrGale View Post
    I just returned from a site seeing tour of Vietnam and one of the places we visited was a family whose business is collecting metal from battle fields around Da Nang. Using a metal detector they recover shrapnel, brass, bombs, mortar and artillery rounds (some still live!). He also found a Marine dog tag which I bought from him; it could be a fake but if it is, it is a good one. I would like to return it to the Marine if possible but I have no idea how to proceed. I have attached photos but have intentionally blurred the last three digits of his serial number as I will require proof before I will give it to anyone.
    I’m not sure if this is the correct forum to ask for help locating this Marine (or family) but if anyone could give me some guidance I would appreciate it.
    Mr. Gale
    I believe the notched dog tags were issued up to 1964. After that they went to the one that Mr. Gale is showing; as well as two lines for first and last name.

    Mr. Gale since you know the whole service number I would suggest that you go to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial -The Wall website and enter in all the info you have. I was able to find one possible. If it is, in fact, him then open up the info and there will be a place to leave comments and pictures. This is your best bet with bringing the tags to the family.

    Personally I'm hoping that he just lost his tags one day and he'll show up here and tell us the story of how he went through VN without his tags.

    Here's a link to search his info:
    The Wall

    Last edited by lonewolf121; 02-04-11 at 08:52 AM. Reason: Web Site addition

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by lonewolf121 View Post
    From the Tag I'm getting:
    Last name: Salinas
    First: M. ,Jr. or N. , JR.
    Blood Type: O
    #: 3535XXX or 3536XXX
    USMC V or USMC X
    Religious preference: Catholic
    From the looks of it it is real looks just like my own tags from 1965.


  8. #8
    Looks fake to me,the letters and numbers in original post are hand stamped and not machine stamped(addressograph) as in post#3.


  9. #9
    Thanks for the help so far. I checked the "Wall" and the MIA database and his name is not on either which is good news.
    I should have listed what I can read on the tag in my first post but let me do it now:

    Last Name: Salinas
    Second Line: R., JR.
    Third Line: 2536XXX O (I can read the last three digits but am not reviling them)
    Forth Line:USMC M
    Last Line:Catholic

    I think the "O" is blood type and the "M" is gas mask size.

    I've attached some higher rez photos if that helps.

    Does anyone else have any idea where I should look?

    Thanks,
    Mr.Gale

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  10. #10
    The fact that the tag has a service number vs a ssn says it is pre 1971. The fact it does not have a notch on it says it is probably sometime after 1967 at MCRD SD. They were to use the other style until they were used up and some friends who graduated when I did but from MCRD PI still had notches on theirs. I don't remember notches on the ones I got in 69 anyway.

    Don't know if any of that helps but am interested in seeing how this thread finishes.


  11. #11
    This is mine from 1969. I wore it in Vietnam '70/71 and still wear it today.
    I've removed my service number.




  12. #12
    Keeping a eye on this thread, very interested to see how it pans out and hope that it finds it's way home.

    I actually barried some stuff out in Iraq during the invasion, I always wonder if someday 30-40 years from now someone will find it and what would become of it.


  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by DanM View Post
    Looks fake to me,the letters and numbers in original post are hand stamped and not machine stamped(addressograph) as in post#3.
    And the border doesn't look right compared to mine and the other one posted. Or is that just the scan background? Not sure.



  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Palmer View Post
    This is mine from 1956 and it is a little different from the you have posted .


    Thought they had stone back then..hahahaha


  15. #15
    Marine Free Member sparkie's Avatar
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    In '69 mine had a stamp noch, Gas mask was medium, blood type was O . Last line was No Pref. Religous choice. So sorry I don't have em anymore. And they sure as hell werent stamped as hard as that last post.


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