USMC Dog tags 1916-2002

[Sgt Leprechaun]

The first posting didn't look right, so am re-doing it:


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USMC "DOG TAGS" 1916-2002

ID Tags "Dog Tags" - Basic shapes


There exists 6 basic shapes of USMC "Dog Tags" :

• A - circular perforated at one side, size : of a silver half-dollar
• B - circular perforated at each side, size : of a silver half-dollar
• C - oval perforated at one side, size : width 1.25 inches (3.18 cm), length 1.5 inches (3,81 cm)
• D - oval perforated at each side, size : width 1.25 inches (3.18 cm), length 1.5 inches (3,81 cm)
• E - rectangular with rounded end and notch, size : width 1.125 inches (2,86 cm), length 2 inches (5,08 cm)
• F - rectangular with rounded end, size : width 1.125 inches (2,86 cm), length 2 inches (5,08 cm)

gs"ID Tags "Dog Tags" - shape"A"and "B" ( 1916 - 1921 ) - shape"A"and "B" ( 1916 - 1921 )

• First officially prescribed – 1916

• Material used – Aluminum
• Number of Dog Tags – 1 or 2
• Dog Tag chain – woven cloth cord, wire in cloth sleeve and etc.
• Dog Tag marking – etched and stamped
• Side one – stamped personal data
• Side two –
  • Empty or
  • Etched print of the right index finger or
  • AEF serial number ( since 1918 ) *

* Notice - The Marines assigned to AEF (American Expeditionary Forces ) in France during WW1 used Army "Dod Tags" of shape "A" and "B". In Marine Corps Manual of 1921 is stated : .... has authorized the use of the Marine Corps identification tag until the exhaustion of present supply, after which the tag in the Navy regulations ( tag of "C" shape ) will be used. In the inter war period and at the beginning of the WW2 the dog tags were not standard issue. In Marine Corps manual of 1940 is stated " .... ID tags will be issued "in the time of war or other national emergency ....".



Stamped information : Officer’s Dog Tag

• Initials and Surname
• Rank and date of appointment in numerals denoting month, day and year (e.g.

• 1.5.16.)
• Company ( since 1917 ) - e.g. 95 CO.
• Regiment or Corps ( since 1917 ) - e.g. 6 REG.
• USMC

Stamped information : Enlisted Dog Tag

• Initials and Surname
• Date of enlistment in numerals denoting month, day and year

• - e.g. 7. 1. 18.
• Rank ( since 1917 ) - e.g. PVT.
• Company ( since 1917 ) - e.g. 95 CO.
• Regiment or Corps ( since 1917 ) - e.g. 6. REG.
• USMC

Examples of stamped information :

ID Tags "Dog Tags" - shape "C" and "D" ( 1921 - early 1950's )

• First officially prescribed – 1921 ( originally U.S. NAVY "Dog Tag" )
• Material used – Monel metal * or corrosion-resistant material ( brass, stainless steel and etc. )
• Number of Dog Tags – 2
• Dog Tag chain – Monel wire in cotton sleeve, Monel chain, steel cable in plastic covering and etc.

Dog Tag marking – early issue examples etched **, later one stamped

• Dog tag of shape "C" - first prescribed – in Marine Corps manual of 1921 ( perforated at one end )
• Dog tag of shape "D" - first prescribed – in Marine Corps manual of 1940 ( perforated at each end )

* Notice - Monel metal is corrosion-resistant alloy of nickel and copper, with small content of iron and manganese

** Notice - The early issue Dog Tag had on side one etched hand-written personal data and on side two etched right index print.

Stamped information : this is general format, "Dog Tag" format can differ from unit to unit, see picture bellow which shows very different forms of "Dog Tag" marking ( from 1941 to 1945 ) I had possibility to survey, "L. DIAMONDS" dog tag is example of etched marking and the data are marked in USN manner ( see U.S.M.C. position on tag ).

• Line 1 : Surname
• Line 2 : First Name & Initials ( or just Initials )
• Line 3 :
  • Officer's rank or
  • Man's Service number - 12345, 123456 or 1234567 and three spaces to the right Religion preferred in prefixes only : C - for CATHOLIC, H - for HEBREW and P - for PROTESTANT
• Line 4 : Date of tetanus shot application with T prefix - T - 8 / 40 and Blood Type - A, B, AB or O
• Line 5 : USMC or USMCR

Examples of etched ( only L. DIAMOND's dog tag ) and stamped information :

[Sgt Leprechaun]

ID Tags "Dog Tags" - shape "E" ( 1940 - 1959 )

• First officially prescribed – 1940 ( originally U.S. ARMY "Dog Tag" M-1940 ) *
• Material used – Monel metal, Brass or Stainless steel
• Number of Dog Tags – 2
• Dog Tag chain – Stainless steel chain - beaded style
• Dog Tag marking – stamped

* Notice - during WW2 the standard issue "Dog Tags" used by USMC were tags of "C" and "D" shape, the wider use of U.S. ARMY M-1940 "Dog Tag" by Marines started after the end of WW2. On most examples of M-1940 USMC and USN "Dog tags" I had possibility to survey is not stamped date of Tetanus shot application, which was stamped to standard tags of "C" and "D" shape during WW2 and thus these tags should be post or very late WW2 issue. After war M-1940 tag continuously replaced the tags of "C" and "D" shape.

Stamped information : this is general format, "Dog Tag" format can differ from unit to unit

• Line 1 : Surname
• Line 2 : First Name & Initials ( or just Initials )
• Line 3 :
  • Man's Service number - 12345, 123456 or 1234567
  • Blood Type - A, B, AB or O
  • the prefix "BT - " (Blood Type) was also used (see picture bellow)
• Line 4 : USMC or USMCR
• Line 5 : Religion preferred
  • in prefixes only : C - for CATHOLIC, H - for HEBREW and P - for PROTESTANT or
  • in whole words : CATHOLIC, HEBREW, PROTESTANT

Examples of stamped information :

ID Tags "Dog Tags" - shape "F" ( 1959 - 2002 )

• First officially prescribed – 1959 (same for all Armed Services)
• Material used – Stainless steel
• Number of Dog Tags – 2
• Dog Tag chain – Stainless steel chain - beaded style
• Dog Tag marking – stamped

Stamped information : this is general format, "Dog Tag" format can differ from unit to unit

• Line 1 : Surname
• Line 2 : First Name & Initials ( or just Initials )
• Line 3 :
  • Man's Service number - 12345, 123456 or 1234567 ( used till 1965 ) or
  • SSN - Social Security Number - 123 45 6789 ( used since since 1965 ) and
  • Blood Type - A, B, AB or O and Rhesus factor -
• Line 4 : USMC or USMCR and Gas mask size - XS, S, M, L, XL
• Line 5 : Religion preferred
  • in whole words : BAPTIST, CATHOLIC, EPISCOPAL, HEBREW, PROTESTANTand etc.

Examples of stamped information :

COPYRIGHT 2001/2002 JAROSLAV JOCHMAN

[GIrene]

Your Type C's and D's were most common in WW2 and in the 20's-30's the Old Salts would have had their right (IIRC) thumbprint acid etched into the back of one of the tags. There's a relatively simple process you can use to emulate that today with repro tags... I didn't cover mine with an adequate amount of paint so they not only etched my print but mussed up the stamping, I'll have to give it another shot later. They were issued with a white cotton string but this was quickly dirtied, dyed, or replaced with a chunk of leather or a Boondocker lace.

More info:




So come WW2 the "Old Breed" would have yet another distinguishing mark to set them apart.


Thanks for sharing more Marine History!

[Rocky C]

Sgt. Lep,
Another GREAT Marine Corps History Thread.
Keep em coming Brother.
Semper Fi,
Rocky

[SgtThrasher]

Very interesting how the dog tags have evolved.We had rubber borders added to the Vietnam era dog tags to silence them.I hope they had a similar product for the WW-11 and Korean conflict Marines.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Thanks guys. Glad you are enjoying them!

I still wear rubber borders on my current tags, and had a complete plastic cover for the one's I had in the Corps.

I've never seen rubber bordered tags from that era, but that doesn't mean a thing, they probably figured something out.

[Supersquishy]

I heard the notch in the vietnam era tags were for the machine to stamp them properly, not the morbid common myth correct?

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Correct.

[FistFu68]

I wore 1 laced in my Left Boot,the other round My neck w/St.Michael Medallion handed down from family,Silenced with OD.Duct tape instead of Chain used Parachute Cord.

[junior1972]

Gentlemen

I would like a little help please. My Grandfather died a couple of years ago and I found his dog tags today. I always knew that my Grandfather served in the Marines and was always told that I needed "4 in the core." I do not know much else about his service though. I do believe that his service was in the mid 1940's.

His dog tags read:

First Name
Middle Name
Last Name
Service #
MCR A P

I must say that I am a little confused beacuse the tag does not read USMC or USMCR as indicated above. I assume that the MCR indicates that he was a Marine Core Reservist, although I never realized that he was - I always thought that he was enlisted. Am I correct in my interpretation?

Thank you.

[DanM]

I believe the military didn't start to use the SSN until late 1969,not 1965 as stated above.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Gentlemen

I would like a little help please. My Grandfather died a couple of years ago and I found his dog tags today. I always knew that my Grandfather served in the Marines and was always told that I needed "4 in the core." I do not know much else about his service though. I do believe that his service was in the mid 1940's.

His dog tags read:

First Name
Middle Name
Last Name
Service #
MCR A P

I must say that I am a little confused beacuse the tag does not read USMC or USMCR as indicated above. I assume that the MCR indicates that he was a Marine Core Reservist, although I never realized that he was - I always thought that he was enlisted. Am I correct in my interpretation?

Thank you.

Is the tag round, or more of an 'oval' shape? Does it have an impression of a fingerprint on the reverse? This will help us date the tag.

You can PM me with his information and I can attempt to do some research for you. A photo of the tag would help, also.

[junior1972]

Thank you, Sgt Leprechaun.

Based on the description above, they appear to be of the "D" shape. They are "oval" and perforated on both ends. The measurements match the descriptions above as well. There is no finger print etched on the reverse side.

[junior1972]

Sgt Leprechaun

I have PM'd you his tag information. Any information that you can give me would be greatly appreciated.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Got it. Working...

I'm guessing that the last two letters are blood type. But it doesn't seem to 'jive' with the standard information.