Identification Tags
The Doughboys were all issued identification tags that were known as dog tags. Two tags were issued and were worn around the neck, suspended from a shoelace or cotton twill tape. The amount of information of the tags varied greatly, depending on at what point during the war the tag was created. Earlier tags included more information and as the war progressed, less information was inscribed.
From the Trench line Forum:
Dog Tag Info, by Tuckahoe Doughboy
It would be helpful if available, any regulations and changes regarding how tags were to be stamped. For example, tags for a Regular army soldier antebellum I am sure is rather different than the tags of a soldier entering service in April 1918. But what is supposed to be on the tag and when? Simply for the sheer number of tags that appear for sale, I find E-bay is a great place to view tags.
I made a search and found these examples
320068469436 -- Tag example 1 -- This set of tags has the name of the soldier -- first then last name listed -- and unit and on back the service number. (I dont think the 40th Infantry was in the AEF)
110075780846 -- Example 2 -- A set of tags for a soldier in 307th Infantry, 77th Division. Stamped with first initial and last name, company and regiment, with service number on back.
220067916401 -- Example 3 -- Difficult to make out, as the photos are not great. Just soldiers name and service number.
250069714299 -- Example 4 -- Boy I would hate to be IDed by this tag. Just soldier's name, "USA" (for US army) and service number.
120071716467 -- Example 5 -- Yankee Division soldier. Marked first then last name, service number, unit and rank as well US infantry.
120072475045 -- Example 6 -- Marked with soldier's first then last name, and service number.
At one time I think Jeff/27thDiv was making it a point to collect atleast photos of tags and he might be able to add more information. However, the one thing that really stands out is it appears that on most tags, the name is listed as first then last names.
If I were stamping up a tag for a 30th Div impression, I would probably only stamp my name and "USA" on one side and the service number on the other. Its plain and common. There are other variations, but I think this would work best. As for a service number, use one from the block of numbers assigned to the
division --
From The Doughboy, Fall 2003, Volume 26, Number 2:
On 12 February 1918, General Order #27 was issued from the Headquarters in
France and this indicated that numbers would be issued to all troops on or
before 28 February 1918 and that upon receiving this number, it was to be
stamped on the identification tag. Following are the first blocks of numbers to be issued:
AEF 1 to 310,000
Manila 310,001-330,000
Honolulu 330,001-345,000
Panama 345,001-360,000
Ft Slocum NY 360,001-410,000
Ft Thomas KY 410,001-430,000
Columbus Barracks, OH 430,001-460,000
Jefferson Barracks, MO 460,001-500,000
Ft Logan, CO 500,001-520,000
Ft McDowell, CA 520,001-540,000
Camp Green, NC 540,001-575,000
NE Depot, Boston MA 575,001-595,000
General Eastern Dept. 595,001-715,000
SE Depot, Charleston, SC 715,001-815,000
Western Depot, San Francisco, CA 815,001-900,000
Central Depot, Chicago, IL 900,001-1,000,000
Southern Depot, Ft Sam Houston 1,000,001-1,200,000
Camp Wadsworth, SC 1,200,001-1,235,000
Camp Hancock, GA 1,235,001-1,270,000
Camp McClellan, AL 1,270,001-1,305,000
Camp Servier, SC 1,305,001-1,340,000
Camp Wheeler, GA 1,340,001-1,375,000
Camp Logan, TX 1,375,001-1,410,000
Camp Cody, NM 1,410,001-1,445,000
Camp Doniphan, OK 1,445,001-1,480,000
Camp Bowie, TX 1,480,001-1.515.000
Camp Sheridan, AL 1,515,001-1,550,000
Camp Shelby, MS 1,550,001-1,585,000
Camp Beauregard, LA 1,585,000-1,620,000
Camp Kearny, CA 1,620,001-1,655,000
Camp Devins, MA 1,655,001-1,695,000
Camp Upton, NY 1,695,001-1,735,000
Camp Dix, NJ 1,735,001-1,775,000
Camp Mead, MD 1,775,001-1,815,000
Camp Lee, VA 1,815,001-1,855,000
Camp Jackson, SC 1,855,001-1,895,000
Camp Gordon, GA 1,895,001-1,935,000
Camp Sherman, OH 1,935,001-1,975,000
Camp Taylor, KY 1,975,001-2,015,000
Camp Custer, MI 2,015,001-2,055,000
Camp Grant, IL 2,055,001-2,095,000
Camp Pike, AR 2,095,001-2,135,000
Camp Dodge, IA 2,135,001-2,175,000
Camp Funston, KS 2,175,001-2,215,000
Camp Louis, TX 2,215,001-2,255,000
Camp Louis, WA 2,255,001-2,295,000
Port of Embarkation, Hoboken, NJ 2,295,001-2,335,000
P of E, Newport News, VA 2,335,001-2,365,000
Camp Fremont, CA 2,365,001-2,380,000
Posted on the Trench Line Forum from Jan 10, 2007, 8:05 PM in American (AEF)
WWI Dog Tag: 370th Inf.
When creating a dog tag, use the following as a model for the information that is stamped on. When creating a service number, use a number within the range of the service numbers that are highlighted in the text above. These camps represent places where the Ebony mustered in or trained.