![]() ![]() ![]() Williams of Company F, 11th Regiment New Hampshire Volunteers. According to the Marine Corps, some men carved their names into chunks of wood strung around their necks. Others used old coins or bits of round lead or copper. Some marked their clothing with stencils or pinned-on paper tags. They were terrified of being buried in unmarked graves, so they found various ways to prevent that. Unofficially, identification tags came about during the Civil War because soldiers were afraid no one would be able to identify them if they died. Regardless of where the nickname started, the concept of an identification tag originated long before that. Another rumor said it was because the tags looked similar to the metal tag on a dog's collar. Other rumored origins of the nickname include World War II draftees calling them dog tags because they claimed they were treated like dogs. According to the SSA, Hearst referred to them as "dog tags" similar to those used in the military. He had heard the newly formed Social Security Administration was considering giving out nameplates for personal identification. In 1936, Hearst wanted to undermine support for President Franklin D. We did some research to find the answers.Īccording to the Army Historical Foundation, the term "dog tag" was first coined by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. But have you ever wondered how and when that tradition started, and why they're called dog tags? We all know what dog tags are - those little oval disks on a chain that service members wear to identify themselves in combat. Newly printed dog tags were presented to Bennett’s daughter, Angela Bennett-Engele after the original dog tags went missing. Bennett received the Medal of Honor for heroic actions performed while flying an artillery adjustment mission in Vietnam in June of 1972. Bennett rest on a workstation at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Aug. Subscribe to to have military news, updates and resources delivered directly to your inbox.Replica dog tags for Medal of Honor recipient and OV-10 pilot Capt. Whether you're thinking of joining the military, looking for post-military careers or keeping up with military life and benefits, has you covered. Blake Stilwell can be reached at He can also be found on Twitter or on Facebook. Identifying remains is a more detailed process than simply relying on the service member's dog tags.īut still, dog tags remain an important symbol of military service, one that connects today's troops to the traditions of the past. Today, dog tags aren't as necessary for identification purposes, given the advances in DNA technology, along with more detailed recordkeeping by the U.S. Aluminum tags gave way to stainless steel. Notched dog tags were phased out by the 1970s, when the machines that required notches were replaced with more advanced embossing machines. In the Vietnam era, combat troops started to lace their second tag in their boots, the way United States Marines wear them today. ![]() But it wouldn't be put in the mouth of the deceased. (Soldier's Museum)ĭuring the Korean War, the second tag was put on a much shorter chain, attached to the main chain, for a similar reason. Admittedly, the notch does look made for teeth. ![]()
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