"We've come a long way from tying pieces of wood around our necks."

[AsahinaKimi]

HISTORY OF THE DOG TAG



The Civil War provided the first recorded incident of American soldiers making an effort to ensure that their identities would be known should they die on the battlefield. Their methods were varied, and all were taken on a soldier's own initiative. In 1863, prior to the battle of Mine's Run in northern Virginia, General Meade's troops wrote their names and unit designations on paper tags and pinned them to their clothing. Many soldiers took great care to mark all their personal belongings. Some troops fashioned their own "ID" (identification) tags out of pieces of wood, boring a hole in one end so that they could be worn on a string around the neck.



The commercial sector saw the demand for an identification method and provided products. Harper's Weekly Magazine advertised "Soldier's Pins" which could be mail ordered. Made of silver or gold, these pins were inscribed with an individual's name and unit designation. Private vendors who followed troops also offered ornate identification disks for sale just prior to battles. Still, despite the fact that fear of being listed among the unknowns was a real concern among the rank and file, no reference to an official issue of identification tags by the Federal Government exists. (42% of the Civil War dead remain unidentified.)


more..http://www.173rdairborne.com/dogtag.htm

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I recently purchased some "dog tags" for a friend of mine who is a Vietnam Vet, who said he lost his long ago, and wished he had a pair. It was a birthday gift. I had asked him what information was on the tag, and he told me.. I was curious how long ago it had started, that people in the military were issued tags. I found the above article interesting..

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[HereSince1628]

2. I've kept a dogtag on my key ring for 40 years.

Unlike when I was in service, I mostly don't need to refer to it in order to know who I am on blurry Sunday mornings.

[alphafemale]

3. The Scottish Tartans were used for that.

To a certain extent at least. While not identifying individuals, it did give somebody the ability to count 12 from the clan McDuff, 8 from from the clan McAfee, 10 from the clan McPherrson. etc.

[B Calm]

4. B564761 I still remember my number after all these years. .

[Bandit]

5. What branch were you in?

I don't recall any that began with a B... In the Army they all began with either US for being drafted or RA for enlisting, or NG for National Guard, or ER for Enlisted Reserve..I had just finished my second tour in the Nam when they changed it so everyone had their Social Security number as their ID number...I was a US by the way..

[braddy]

7. Mine was the SS number but I am sure I remember the RA as well, at least RA was somewhere in regards

to me.

[B Calm]

12. Navy. About a year after I enlisted

we started using our Social Security number and I was issued another set of dog tags.

[HopeHoops]

6. I wear dog tags. Literally. I have a dog collar with PetSmart laser-engraved dog tags.

They include my ICE (in case of emergency) numbers, hospital preference, medical conditions, address, and damn near everything else I could think to put on them. They're $7 each and hold 4 lines on each side. My service dog has the same tags (matching collars) along with a pill case like mine for emergencies. I put them on clip rings (same latch as a dog collar) so an EMT can easily access the critical information. One of them states that the service dog goes with me in an ambulance.

I'm not in the military and never have been, but those tags are essential in many situations, but especially war. Pressed metal won't be destroyed in most cases.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. And not just the US military

I got mine somewhere...hubby has his somewhere.

[SoCalDem]

9. I still have mine from when I was a military brat in the 50s & 60s

somewhere... They are put away somewhere with this

[GoCubsGo]

13. I know someone who had his confiscated by TSA.

He is a Viet Nam vet, and used to carry the can opener he had from his service with him everywhere. Several months after 9/11, he was flying to a conference, and he never considered it to be some sort of weapon, so he took it with him. TSA thought otherwise, and took it away, not giving him a means of getting it returned. To this day, he is still pissed off about it.

[knitter4democracy]

10. I have one of my dad's dog tags, and my brother has the other one.

I wear it when I'm missing him most. He hated his time in the Army, but he was also proud of the work he did in there (drafted in the 50s). He kept all of his Army stuff, and I have a lot of his medals and patches as well as one of his dog tags.

I also wear a medical bracelet. It's got all the important stuff on it.

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. "global-positioning systems to pin-point wounded".

Interesting, had not thought of that, but a heck of an idea.

[Brother Buzz]

15. Until the adversary hacks the system

I'm just saying.

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. True...

or until/unless the GPS system fails at some point.
Gov't contractors don't seem to have much regulation or oversight anymore.

[Brother Buzz]

14. I still have mine

I learned Agnostic means No Pref. What the hey?