Dog Tags

[kraigwy]

Never thought much about them. I knew I had mine. Still on a chain with my Shelby P-38.

My father was retired military. A while back I found my dependent dog tag which we had to have so I put them with mine.

This morning I got an e-mail from my cousin, (the closest thing I had to a sister, we were quite close when we were young). My father passed in the mid 80s, her's a couple months ago. She was going through her fathers stuff and came up with my fathers dog tags from WWII. We have no ideal how he came in possission of them, never will know. Her father is from my mothers side of the family.

Wierd, but I have another set to add to my meger collection of dog tags.

 

[JamesArthur60]

I wish I still had mine. I threw them away with all my other gear shortly after discharge. At the time I was just happy to be out of the service and didn't want any reminders. Dumb move on my part. However, this post does remind me of a set of official military dog tags, with the chain, I found while cleaning out my gutters. I don't have a clue how they got up there and didn't recognize the name. I turned them over to the local PD property room.

 

[LTC]

If I still have a pair, I haven't seen them in about 42 years. We never wore them after basic. Usually carried on on a key ring. every time we would deploy TDY overseas, part of the process was ensuring everyone had a set of dog tags. Someone was there with the machine to stamp them out if you didn't have them with you.

LTC
USAF * TAC * '66-'70

 

[GKC]

When I got out, I got rid of everything except my dog tags and my DD214. I have always kept one of my dog tags on my key ring....still there today.

I wish I had kept one uniform...of course, it's not like I could squeeze into it today! When I was in the service, I weighed 130 pounds, and size 28 pants were loose on me. Now, they would be tight on one leg!

 

[35Rem]

What a treasure.

Most service men and women weren't neccessarily outwardly "proud" of their service. It was something they did. A Service. They didn't need special recognition for it. I admire those that don't "flaunt it". There is a cool factor, for me, to find out that someone you have known did their duty and don't expect something extra for it.

My Dad served in Vietnam (Navy) and it's never been something he talked about much. I got his medals and some other things and put them in a shadow box for Christmas. I know it doesn't mean as much to him as it does me and will my kids. I'M proud HE served. That's the way it should be, at least to me. Just my opinion.

Please don't take this as you shouldn't be proud of your service. I have ZERO problem with the guys that wear a patch, have a bumper sticker, hat, fly a flag, whatever. Be proud. I'm proud you served. Thank you all. There is just something cool about those guys that "just did it."

 

[Maximumbob54]

I need to dig through my boxes of odd stuff and find my grandfather’s dog tag. It has what I’m assuming is an acid etching of his thumb print. Either that or they really were iron men in those days…

 

[armenius]

I still have mine from the "cold war" days.Unfortunately let most of everything else get away.
My greatest items are my fathers dog tags from WWI.He was a machinegunner in the XXX Division attached to the British and was involved in breaking the Hindenberg Line.He caught the 1918 Flu and lay in a shell hole in no mans land for 2-3 days semicomatose.Was reported as MIA.No one at home knew he survived until a family friend spotted him getting off the troop ship.

 

[walnutred]

I still have my dog tags, which for years also had a St Barbara medal attached being I was in FA. When I found out she was also the pzatron Saint of sailors I took the St Barbara medal off the chain and attached it to the bulkhead of my sailboat.

Does anyone still have thier "Going Home" calendar?

 

[DeadAye]

I still have one of mine and one of my dad's (WWII USNR).
I wouldn't carry mine on my person because it has my ssn on it.

I threw everything else out when I got home - except 1 dress uniform button and a field jacket.
The button is around here somewhere.

PS - My sister was one of those anti-war folks. When I volunteered for airborne school she went ballistic and threw EVERYTHING that I'd left behind out. My mom had my Teddy Bear in her room, so that's all I have from *before*.
Maybe that's why I can't get rid of anything.... Hmmmm

 

[GKC]

I still have one of mine and one of my dad's (WWII USNR).
I wouldn't carry mine on my person because it has my ssn on it.

Mine has my service number on it, not my SSN. I can still remember my number to this day....even when I can't remember my name, most days.

 

[Toney]

Still got one of mine on my key chain.

 

[H Richard]

Still have mine, issued in 1959. With USAF #, not SS#. We had a separate # back then. To this day I use parts of that # in various combinations for ID Codes on web sites etc. When I went to a VA Hospital the first time they asked for the "last 4" to look you up, but they only want the SSN.

 

[Bob R]

I have several sets here and there. At least one set has a service number instead of a serial number. I also had a set made for my wife so she has her very own somewhere also.

My MIL's boyfriend went ashore in the first wave at Omaha Beach on the 6th of June 1944. He was one of the lucky ones, he survived (barely). He was wounded while still in the water and then made it onto the beach. He doesn't remember much after that.

About 4 years ago someone was metal detecting on Omaha Beach and found one of his dog tags. After quite a bit of research the person who found it brought it to the US and returned it to him. He also took him to dinner that night.

The Frenchman was not alive during WW2 but he had family members who were and grew up with a great respect of the people who came to France to free them. He wanted to meet one of them and by finding and returning the dog tag he was able to convey his thanks and the thanks of his family in person. It seems some Frenchmen still understand duty, honor, and gratitude.

That dog tag now hangs off of the trigger guard of the WW2 vet's Garand.

bob

 

[Tunachaser]

I still have one, the other was laced in my boot, and my boots were stolen while I was on leave, I think in Australia. I threw away all my medals and ribbons, I wish I still had those. I was in a bad ***** sqaudron on the USS Enterprise and the skipper liked to collect ribbons, I had at least 4 rows in just four years, oh well.

 

[BE Mike]

I am a pack rat, so I have my dog tags, engraved Zippo, shoulder patches and ribbons in a shadow box, along with some other memorabilia. I gave away and burned a lot of fatigue uniforms and boots. My dad still has his dog tags from WWII.

 

[wbraswell]

I have my Grandfather's dog tag from the Navy in WWI. It's hand written, maybe by his own hand.

 

[bgrafsr]

When I got out of the Air Force in '67, I threw everything away but my medals, ribbons, Squadron patches, & paperwork. Later in life I regretted doing that, so several years ago, I had a set of tags made by a vendor at a gun show. They are the correct tags for the time period and have all of the correct information on them just like my original ones had.

I had a display case made and have my insignia, rank, patches, and an original Air Police Shield in it. My dog tags hang off of a corner of the case, which hangs above my computer desk on the wall.

 

[JcMack]

I've had one of mine on my key chain since about '69. Somewhere I heard (back then) that if you lost your keys, and if someone found them they could toss them in a mail box and they would find you. I've since learned that's the forth greatest lie.

 

[rimfired]

Does anyone still have thier "Going Home" calendar?[/QUOTE]

I have my "short timers" calendar framed but can't show it here. Too risque.
Still have my dog tags in the tubing and pads, all yellow and brittle after 41 years, to keep from clinking.

I also have my dads tags from WWll and grandads from WWl.

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

I've still got my fifty year old dog tags. I wouldn't part with them for anything.