Dog tags

[bigjohn]

Came across Dad's dog tags the other day and there were 2 things that got me to wondering:
1. His tags are stamped T43 44 after his name
2. Both tags have a triangle shaped notch in the end opposite the necklace chain hole.

Any idea why or what purpose this stuff was for? I figured the T43 44 was something like Training 1943 44 but as for the notches I have no clue

[floydragsdale]

Hello

The only time we were told anything about those "notches" was early in basic training, at Camp Shelby, MS.

This is what we were told, "If you die in combat, a dog tag is to be placed in the mouth, between the teeth." The upper, or lower set of teeth were to be placed in the notch.

That sounds weird, yet a deceased soldier's dog tags would stay put if that was done,

I've witnessed the dead being picked up on the battle field, however that is all. Nevertheless, it makes sense; one tag would be removed to be used as "proof of death" and the other tag would be left with the deceased soldier. If the tag was placed in the mouth it is very likely that it would stay there. Finally, when the soldier was buried, proof of identifying the body, for a grave marker, would still there.

My dog tags also had my blood type and an initial for my religion stamped on them. Example: 0- for blood type and P for protestant.

Floyd
424th Regiment

[Carl W.]

The T 43 44 means that your dad had his mandatory Tetanus inoculation in both 1943 and 1944.

Carl

[bigjohn]

Thanks for the information Floyd and Carl. That does clear some things up as my own tags had nothing of the sort on them so I had nothing to go by. Very interesting indeed.

[cornernotch]

The notch was used to hold the tag in place on a device used by medics. The device was named the Addressograph Model 70. Do a google search for this device and you will see how the notch was used. Dog tags were never placed between the soldiers teeth during WWII. Well, maybe I can't say that but I can say it would have been very rare.

[gfgrant8443]

When I was trained as a Hospital Corpsman in 1961 by the Navy we were taught to place the notch on the dog tag between the two front upper teeth and strike the other end of the sharply with the heel of our hand to wedge it between the front teeth as a means of identification. I can't speak for Army Medics training during WW II relating to dog tags, nor what Navy Corpsmen actually did during Viet Nam, but that is how I was trained. Fortunately for me I was assigned to a Hospital Ship and didn't have to worry about how to use the notch in the dog tags, but I think it would have been very important to me that my comrades that died were properly identified so that they could be returned to their family.

Frank Grant