A Korean War memorial in the U.S.; the statue holds a handful of dog tags.

A dog tag is the informal name for the identification tags worn by military personnel, because of their resemblance to actual dog tags. The tag is primarily used for the identification of dead and wounded along with providing essential basic medical information for the treatment of the latter such as blood type and history of inoculations. In the event the member has a medical condition that requires special attention, an additional red tag with the pertinent information is issued and worn with the dog tags. A dog might wear several different identifying dog tags. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 589 pixelsFull resolution (2739 × 2016 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 589 pixelsFull resolution (2739 × 2016 pixel, file size: 1. ... Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... A dog might wear several different identifying dog tags. ... This article is about human blood types (or blood groups). ... Inoculation, originally Variolation, is a method of purposefully infecting a person with smallpox (Variola) in a controlled manner so as to minimise the severity of the infection and also to induce immunity against further infection. ...

Wearing of the tag is required at all times by soldiers in the field. It may contain two copies of the information and be designed to break easily into two pieces. This allows half the tag to be collected for notification while the other half remains with the body when battle conditions do not allow the casualty to be immediately recovered. Alternatively, two identical tags are issued. One is worn on a long chain around the neck; the second on a much smaller chain attached to the first chain. In the event the wearer is killed the second tag is collected and the first remains with the body.

Dog tags in history

Dog tags of a U.S. Army soldier who served in World War II

During the American Civil War of 1861-1865, some soldiers pinned paper notes with their name and home address to the backs of their coats. Other soldiers stencilled identification on their knapsacks or scratched it in the soft lead backing of the Army belt buckle. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (976x761, 365 KB) Summary Dog tags of a World War II U.S. Army soldier. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (976x761, 365 KB) Summary Dog tags of a World War II U.S. Army soldier. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1865 (MDCCCLXV) is a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Manufacturers of identification badges recognized a market and began advertising in periodicals. Their pins were usually shaped to suggest a branch of service and engraved with soldier's name and unit. Machine-stamped tags were also made of brass or lead with a hole and usually had (on one side) an eagle or shield and such phrases as "War for the Union" or "Liberty, Union, and Equality." The other side had the soldier's name and unit and sometimes a list of battles in which he had participated. “Brazen” redirects here. ... For Pb as an abbreviation, see PB. General Name, Symbol, Number lead, Pb, 82 Chemical series Post-transition metals or poor metals Group, Period, Block 14, 6, p Appearance bluish gray Standard atomic weight 207. ... Generally, a battle is an instance of combat in warfare between two or more parties wherein each group will seek to defeat the others. ...

A New Yorker named John Kennedy wrote to the U.S. Army in 1862, offering to furnish discs for all officers and men in the Federal Army, enclosing a design for the disc. The National Archives now has the letter along with the reply, a summary refusal without explanation. This article is about the state. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... This article is about 1862 . ...

In the Spanish-American War, soldiers purchased crude stamped identification tags; sometimes with misleading information. Combatants United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Republic Spain Commanders Nelson A. Miles William R. Shafter George Dewey Máximo Gómez Emilio Aguinaldo Patricio Montojo Pascual Cervera Arsenio Linares Ramón Blanco Casualties 3,289 U.S. dead (432 from combat); considerably higher although undetermined Cuban and Filipino casualties... This article is about a military rank. ...

The Prussian Army issued identification tags for its troops at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... Combatants Second French Empire North German Confederation allied with south German states (later German Empire) Commanders Napoleon III Otto Von Bismarck, Helmuth von Moltke the Elder Strength 400,000 at the beginning of the war 1,200,000 Casualties 150,000 dead or wounded 284,000 captured 350,000 civilian...

The U.S. Army first authorized identification tags in War Department General Order No. 204, dated December 20, 1906, which essentially prescribes the Kennedy identification tag: is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

"An aluminum identification tag, the size of a silver half dollar and of suitable thickness, stamped with the name, rank, company, regiment, or corps of the wearer, will be worn by each officer and enlisted man of the Army whenever the field kit is worn, the tag to be suspended from the neck, underneath the clothing, by a cord or thong passed through a small hole in the tab. It is prescribed as a part of the uniform and when not worn as directed herein will be habitually kept in the possession of the owner. The tag will be issued by the Quartermaster's Department gratuitously to enlisted men and at cost price to officers..." This article is about the use of the term rank. ... Standard NATO code for a friendly infantry company. ... British regiment A regiment is a military unit, consisting of a variable number of battalions - commanded by a colonel. ... A corps (plural same as singular; a word that migrated from the French language, pronounced IPA: (cor), but originating in the Latin corpus, corporis meaning body) is either a large military unit or formation, an administrative grouping of troops within an army with a common function (such as artillery or...

The Army changed regulations on July 6, 1916, so that all soldiers were issued two tags: one to stay with the body and the other to go to the person in charge of the burial for record-keeping purposes. In 1918, the Army adopted and allotted the serial number system, and name and serial numbers were ordered stamped on the identification tags of all enlisted troops. (Serial number 1 was assigned to enlisted man Arthur B. Crean of Chicago in the course of his fifth enlistment period.) In 1969 the Army converted to the Social Security number for personnel identification. Some nations have instead a single tag with a half that can be easily broken off for the purpose of record-keeping. is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ... The promotional Social Security card as distributed by the F.W. Woolworth Company In the United States, a Social Security number (SSN) is a 9-digit number issued to citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents under section 205(c)(2) of the Social Security Act, codified as 42 U...

There is a recurring myth about the notch situated in one end of the dog tags issued to United States Army personnel during World War II. It was rumored that the notch's purpose was so that if a soldier found one of his comrades on the battlefield, he could take one tag to the commanding officer and kick the other between the teeth of the soldier to ensure that the tag would remain with the body and be identified. According to Snopes, the notch is there simply to hold the tag in place on the embossing machine.^[1] Snopes, also known as the Urban Legends Reference Pages, is a website dedicated to determining the truth about many urban legends, Internet rumors, email forwards, and other such stories of uncertain or questionable origin. ...

Following WWII, the US Navy Department adopted the dog tags used by the US Army and Air Force, so a single shape and size became the American standard.

In the 1950s, at the height of fears about possible nuclear war, all New York City public school pupils were issued dog tags. ^{[citation needed]} the first thing that was invented was the automatic DILDO. Education grew explosively because of a very strong demand for high school and college education. ... Nuclear War is a card game designed by Douglas Malewicki, and originally published in 1966. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ...

In the Vietnam War, American soldiers were allowed to place rubber silencers on their dog tags so the enemy would not hear the metallic clanking. Others chose to tape the two tags together with black tape. Still others chose to wear one tag around the neck, and the other tag on the lace of one boot. All three variations were commonly seen among U.S. troops. Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000...

Prior to the use of Social Security Numbers on dog tags beginning in the 1960s, the military printed the individual's military service (or serial) number.

Dog tags are traditionally part of the makeshift battlefield memorials soldiers and Marines create to their fallen comrades. The casualty's rifle with bayonet affixed is stood vertically atop the empty boots, with the helmet over the stock of the rifle. The dog tags hang from the rifle's handle or trigger guard. Soldiers also often give them to loved ones before deployments or when dating, similar to the student practice of giving a sweetheart one's letterman jacket or ring to wear. For other uses, see bayonet (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Non-military wear

Close-up of a teenager wearing custom-made dog tags

Also, dog tags have recently found their way into youth fashion by way of military chic. Originally worn as a part of a military uniform by youths wishing to present a tough or militaristic image, dog tags have since seeped out into wider fashion circles. They may be inscribed with a person's details, their beliefs or tastes, a favorite quote, or may bear the name or logo of a band or performer. Some people also prefer to have the information on their tags transferred to a smaller, sometimes golden or silver tag by a jeweller, as the original tag can be considered too large and bulky by some. They have also made an appearance in the Warhammer 40,000 gaming series, as they are worn by certain races, such as the Space Marines and the Imperial Guard. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (768x1024, 118 KB) A picture I took of myself wearing dog tags I bought, custom-made in an Army Surplus Store in Montreal. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (768x1024, 118 KB) A picture I took of myself wearing dog tags I bought, custom-made in an Army Surplus Store in Montreal. ... Warhammer 40,000 (informally known as Warhammer 40K, WH40K, W40K or just 40K) is a science fantasy game produced by Games Workshop. ... Space marines are fictional soldiers that operate in outer space. ... Grognard of the Old Guard in 1813 The Imperial Guard (French:Garde impériale) was originally a small group of elite soldiers of the French Army under the direct command of Napoleon I, but grew considerably over time. ...

National variations

Australia

The Australian Defence Force issues soldiers with two tags of different shape: Number 1 Tag (the octagonal shaped disc) and Number 2 Tag (the circular disc). They are embossed with the title AS, the member's PMKeyS number, initials and name, religion and blood group.

Canada

Canadian Forces identity discs (abbreviated "I discs") are designed to be broken in two in the case of fatality; the lower half is returned to National Defence Headquarters with the member's personal documents, while the upper half remains on the body. The tags contain the following information: ^[2] The Canadian Forces (French: Forces canadiennes), abbreviated as CF (French: FC), are the unified armed forces of Canada. ...

• Upper half:
  • Service Number (SN)
  • Initials and surname
  • Religion and blood group with RH factor
  • The legend "CDN FORCES CDN" (or for foreign nationals, the name of the country the individual represents)
  • The text "DO NOT REMOVE / NE PAS ENLEVER" on the reverse

• Lower half: identical, except it does not contain the blood type, and the reverse is blank.

Before the Service Number was introduced in the 1990s, military personnel were identified on the I discs (as well as other documents) by their Social Insurance Number. A service number is a identification code used to easily identify a person within a large group. ... A sample SIN card. ...

Denmark

Danish dog tags is a little metallic plate to be broken in two. The information on the tag is:

1. Personal identification number
2. Last name
3. First name

On the right hand side of the tag it says Danmark - the Danish word for Denmark The Danish Personal Identification number (Danish: CPR-nummer or personnummer) is a national identification number, which is part of the personal information stored in the Civil Registration System (Danish: Det Centrale Personregister). ...

Israel

Israeli dog tags are designed to be broken in two, the information appears in three lines (twice):

1. Army identification number ("mispar ishi", literally: personal number. A seven digit number that is different from the nine digit identification number for citizens).
2. Last name
3. First Name

In case of capture, Israeli soldiers are instructed to provide the information that appears on the dog tag and their rank only. Israeli identity card Teudat Zehut (תעודת ×–הות) is the Israeli compulsory identity document, as prescribed in the Identity Card Carrying and Displaying Act of 1982: [1] // Criminal offence carries a 5,000 NIS fine for not carrying an identity card or for misuse of the document. ...

Finland

Finnish dog tags are also designed to be broken in two, however the only text on it is the personal identification number. A national identification number is used by the governments of many countries as a means of tracking their citizens, permanent residents, and temporary residents for the purposes of work, taxation, government benefits, health care, and other governmentally-related functions. ...

Norway

Norwegian dog tags are designed to be broken in two like the Canadian version:

• The top half containing the nationality, date of birth, social security number and the bloodtype.
• The bottom half contains the nationality, date of birth, social security number and has a hole so the broken off half can be hung on a ring.

United Kingdom

UK Forces have the "Big 6" embossed on a circular tag, the Big 6 being:

• Surname
• Initials
• Service Number
• Date of birth (confirmation needed: those issued in 2004-2005 did not)
• Blood Group
• Religion

A family name, surname, or last name is the part of a persons name that indicates to what family he or she belongs. ... A blood type is a description an individuals characteristics of red blood cells due to substances (carbohydrates and proteins) on the cell membrane. ...

United States

US Armed Forces typically carry two identical oval tags containing:

USAF Format 1:

• Surname, first name, middle initial
• Social Security Number, followed by "AF" indicating branch of service.
• Blood Group
• "blank"
• Religion

USAF Format 2:

• Surname
• First name and middle initial
• Social Security Number, followed by "AF" indicating branch of service.
• Blood Group
• Religion

USMC:

• Surname
• First name, middle initial (sometimes just first and last initial), blood group
• Social Security Number with no dashes, but spaced
• Branch ("USMC")
• Gas mask size
• Religious preference (or "NO PREFERENCE") or medical allergy if red medical tag.

US Navy:

• Surname, first name, middle initial
• "blank"
• Social Security Number with no dashes or spaces followed immediately by branch blood group
• "blank"
• Religion

US Army:

• Surname
• First name, middle initial
• Social Security Number
• Blood type
• Religion

Recently, the army stopped calling the tags "Dog tags" and adopted the more civilized "I.D tags". It was rumored that, in the 1990s, some enlisted trainees complained that the term "dog tag" was offensive, but this has not been confirmed. “The U.S. Air Force” redirects here. ... A blood type is a description an individuals characteristics of red blood cells due to substances (carbohydrates and proteins) on the cell membrane. ... “The U.S. Air Force” redirects here. ... A blood type is a description an individuals characteristics of red blood cells due to substances (carbohydrates and proteins) on the cell membrane. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... A blood type is a description an individuals characteristics of red blood cells due to substances (carbohydrates and proteins) on the cell membrane. ... Belgian 1930s era L.702 model civilian mask. ... Various Religious symbols, including (first row) Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Bahai, (second row) Islamic, tribal, Taoist, Shinto (third row) Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, Jain, (fourth row) Ayyavazhi, Triple Goddess, Maltese cross, pre-Christian Slavonic Religion is the adherence to codified beliefs and rituals that generally involve a faith in a spiritual... USN redirects here. ... A blood type is a description an individuals characteristics of red blood cells due to substances (carbohydrates and proteins) on the cell membrane. ... The United States Army is the largest and oldest branch of the armed forces of the United States. ... This article is about human blood types (or blood groups). ...

Notes

1. ^ Barbara Mikkelson. "Notch for the Faint Hearted", Snopes.com, 2 August 2007, retrieved 12 September 2007
2. ^ Canadian Forces Administrative Order 26-4 - Identity Discs Canadian Forces Finance & Corporate Services website

External links

• Captain Richard W. Wooley. "A Short History of Identification Tags." Quartermaster Professional Bulletin, December, 1988. Retrieved 12 September 2007
• A guide for Reenactors and Collectors
• How dog tags are made: Metal Tag Embosser