The dog tag

The 1916 version of the dog tag. The id card worn by the americans during world war I was round and made of aluminum, on which the wearer's troop number, blood type and name were stamped. At that time, the participating countries' armies were basically issued with metal identity CARDS, and the American army increased to two per person at the end of the war.

The 1920 version of the dog tag

The shape of the circle turned into an oval, and there was no change in the material or the way of making. Because the size of the "dog tag" was relatively small, it could not be engraved with enough content to meet the actual needs. Soon after the beginning of the second world war, it stopped being used.The U.S. military switched to the 1940 "dog tag."

The 1940 version of the dog tag During the second world war, the American army's identity card was improved again. First of all, its shape changed from round to oval, and aluminum alloy was replaced on the material to make it more solid and durable.And there's a little gap at the edge. In a cruel war, when a man dies, his comrades put one of the dead man's two identification CARDS in his mouth and the other beside his body.When the deceased cannot be transported back to the country, they can also take an identity card as a death certificate. When the Korean war broke out, the gap in the edge of the identity card disappeared. Compared with the world war ii identity card, this unified identity card is a great improvement, especially its material is made of stainless steel, which is more durable than aluminum alloy.

The 1959 version of the dog tag

During the Vietnam war, identity CARDS developed in the 1950s gradually revealed their shortcomings.Above all, the identity card of stainless steel scratches bare skin extremely easily.Next, this kind of identity card is in the battle, especially when executing conceal task, easy and weapon collision, give out sound, reveal oneself.In response, the U.S. military has refined the identity card.Put rubber rings around it.In this way, the stainless steel identity card above shortcomings do not exist

The main difference between the identity CARDS used by the U.S. military today and those used during the Vietnam war is not so much the material on the identification CARDS.The former identity CARDS are mostly polished stainless steel, reflective shortcomings, in the battle is easy to be found by the enemy;Now multi-purpose non-reflective stainless steel matte material, work more fine, identification card peripheral processing into rolled edge, so as not to scratch the soldiers' skin;The inscription on the plate is still made by machine, which, despite its high cost, will not wear out in harsh conditions.The inscription on the dog tag had also changed from a faint, sunken inscription to a raised one that was clearer and easier to read.

The type of identification plate commonly used in active service The identity CARDS currently in use in the U.S. military are a 1959 version of the same style, but with different materials used in different military units, and the typefaces are letterhead inscriptions.

Content: this is a uniform format, but the format may vary from unit to unit.

First row: last name

Second line: first name and abbreviation (or abbreviation only)

Line 3: service number - 12345,123456 or 1234567

SSN: Social Security Number -123 45 6789 (since 1965)

Blood group -A, B, AB or O and Rh factors (note 5)

Line 4: USNC or USMCR and mask sizes -XS, S, M, L, XL

Line 5: full names of religious beliefs, such as BAPTIST, CATHOLIC, EPISCOPAL, HEBREW, and small, etc

Remark:

During the Vietnam war identity card number Army soldiers began to have a prefix, for example we see RA is Regular Army (Regular Army, volunteer Army), US (forcibly conscripted into), NG (National Guard, National Guard), ER (Enlisted Reserve Reserve services), O (Officer, Officer).Social security Numbers for the number 9, 1967, the U.S. army introduced social security Numbers, until 1969 this period, the identity card is two Numbers coexist, to 1969, the identification number on the identity card is only the social security number.The column of religious belief is also changed. If a soldier has NO religious belief, the column is NO longer blank, but "NO PREFERENCE" is typed in.In active service id CARDS, all services except the army will have the corresponding service name on the id card, such as USN, USMC, USCGR, USAF, etc.Sample of military id card content

Format of active military content

First line: first name, first name

Row 2: blood type

Third row: unit number or alarm

Fourth row: military or police

Line 5: religion

Content format for the PLA in active service

First line: first name, first name

Row 2: blood type

Line 3: id number

Fourth row: unit number or alarm

Line 5: military or police

Civil identity card content sample

Content format 1:

First line: first name, first name

Row 2: blood type

Line 3: id card number (18 digits)

Row 4: birthdays

Row 5: name of city. Name of province

Content format 2:

First line: first name, first name

Row 2: blood type

Line 3: id card number (18 digits)

Row 4: birthdays

Line 5: favorite quote/phrase

Content format 3:

First line: first name, first name

Row 2: blood type

Line 3: id card number (18 digits)

Line 4: cell phone number

Row 5: name of city. Name of province or hometown. Name of province

Custom lettering is also available, the third line can hold up to 18 characters, and the others can hold up to 17 characters.

Available characters:

English: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Numbers: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Symbol: - /. ', * & @