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USMC "DOG TAGS" 1916-present

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/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)

ID Tags "Dog Tags" - 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" )
Dog Tag chain – Monel wire in cotton sleeve, Monel chain, steel cable in plastic covering etc.
Dog Tag marking – early issue examples etched **, later one stamped
Dog tag of shape "C" - first prescribed in Marine Corps manual 1921 (perforated at one end)
Dog tag of shape "D" - first prescribed in Marine Corps manual 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 :

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, there 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 - present )

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 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, PROTESTANT and etc.

Examples of stamped information :