WW2JAKE Posted July 30, 2015 Share #1 Posted July 30, 2015 I have kind of a stupid question, what happened to the dog tags of KIA soldiers and marines? I know alot were burried with soldiers but know one was often taken by someone and kept with other KIA tags. And often one will pop up online. So what exactly happened to get them from the KIA's body to ebay? Were they sent somewhere to keep track of them? Sorry again for the stupid question but I'm curious if there is a chance a family KIA tags are out there somewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stealthytyler Posted July 30, 2015 Share #2 Posted July 30, 2015 Good question. Not stupid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USdog Posted July 30, 2015 Share #3 Posted July 30, 2015 I have kind of a stupid question, what happened to the dog tags of KIA soldiers and marines? I know alot were burried with soldiers but know one was often taken by someone and kept with other KIA tags. And often one will pop up online. So what exactly happened to get them from the KIA's body to ebay? Were they sent somewhere to keep track of them? Sorry again for the stupid question but I'm curious if there is a chance a family KIA tags are out there somewhere In WWII, one would have been buried with the KIA and the other would have been collected by grave registration and usually placed on their grave marker for identification. Most of the time these weren't ever sent home and from what I've seen they were left overseas for the most part and are still there. Most tags on ebay aren't the ones a KIA was wearing at the time of death and were ones they were previously issued. I have an assortment of KIA tags and only have a couple I know were worn when they were KIA. So odds are, they will likely never show up unfortunately, but it is possible I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted July 30, 2015 In WWII, one would have been buried with the KIA and the other would have been collected by grave registration and usually placed on their grave marker for identification. Most of the time these weren't ever sent home and from what I've seen they were left overseas for the most part and are still there. Most tags on ebay aren't the ones a KIA was wearing at the time of death and were ones they were previously issued. I have an assortment of KIA tags and only have a couple I know were worn when they were KIA. So odds are, they will likely never show up unfortunately, but it is possible I guess. ok well let me push this further to the more difficult answer. if they died on ship and were buried at sea. was one still kept or did both go over? this is the case with my relative, but i assume they might have kept it to keep track that he died on board and was on the ship so he wouldnt be listed as MIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USdog Posted July 30, 2015 Share #5 Posted July 30, 2015 ok well let me push this further to the more difficult answer. if they died on ship and were buried at sea. was one still kept or did both go over? this is the case with my relative, but i assume they might have kept it to keep track that he died on board and was on the ship so he wouldnt be listed as MIA That's a good question. I would guess they would have kept one for IDing purposes and was likely tossed some time after it was no longer needed. But he was likely issued multiple sets of tags during his service so that would increase the odds a bit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted July 30, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted July 30, 2015 That's a good question. I would guess they would have kept one for IDing purposes and was likely tossed some time after it was no longer needed. But he was likely issued multiple sets of tags during his service so that would increase the odds a bit ive been searching for almost a year now since i discovered his existence. his uniform has been located thanks to my grandmother but there is no way of ever getting it but i think the dog tag may be out there somewhere. but i have had some reproductions made (the man was kind enough to make them free as they were a family piece. but until i can get his records i dont know if the blood type and tetanus dates are correct they were just the closest estimations i could find. so finding his actual tag would be up there in the list of greatest moments... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted August 1, 2015 Share #7 Posted August 1, 2015 Agree with Connor. Sometimes auctions will show up and you'll see 2, 3, 4, sometimes even more pairs to one person. As far as the ones that are 100% worn by them when killed, my only guess is someone kept the tag after the temporary grave marker was removed and it made its way back here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted August 1, 2015 Agree with Connor. Sometimes auctions will show up and you'll see 2, 3, 4, sometimes even more pairs to one person. As far as the ones that are 100% worn by them when killed, my only guess is someone kept the tag after the temporary grave marker was removed and it made its way back here. no marker when buried at sea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted August 1, 2015 Share #9 Posted August 1, 2015 no marker when buried at sea Correct, I was referring to a ground burial when a temporary grave marker would be used.. I can only speculate as to what happened to dog tags when buried at sea. Overboard with the KIA? One tag left with the body? Both tags left with the body? I would imagine in some instances that different methods were used, as we've seen anaomolies in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted August 1, 2015 Correct, I was referring to a ground burial when a temporary grave marker would be used.. I can only speculate as to what happened to dog tags when buried at sea. Overboard with the KIA? One tag left with the body? Both tags left with the body? I would imagine in some instances that different methods were used, as we've seen anaomolies in the past. my guess like i said before is one stayed with the body one kept on ship so they knew he was KIA and buried at sea rather than MIA back on Iwo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyboy53 Posted August 2, 2015 Share #11 Posted August 2, 2015 Remember that the ship's log would have to navigation coordinates where the burial at sea took place. You might want to contact the Navy or a reunion group for the ship that the KIA relative served on. You might get some interesting information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share #12 Posted August 3, 2015 Remember that the ship's log would have to navigation coordinates where the burial at sea took place. You might want to contact the Navy or a reunion group for the ship that the KIA relative served on. You might get some interesting information. he was actually a marine wounded on iwo and was on a ship (which i know the name of) being transported to the Marianas but died before he got there. i dont know that they would have logged the location he was buried Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted August 3, 2015 Share #13 Posted August 3, 2015 I'm sure a Marine who was wounded on Iwo and died enroute on a ship would have been listed as DOW. That would've been a more efficient method of documenting a casualty than saving a dog tag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share #14 Posted August 3, 2015 I'm sure a Marine who was wounded on Iwo and died enroute on a ship would have been listed as DOW. That would've been a more efficient method of documenting a casualty than saving a dog tag. very possible... i dont know exactly how it all works but it was just my assumption that they might keep one to make sure he was marked buried at sea. I mean it is all very clear that he was so i would think a DOW mark wouldnt make it as clear? if that makes sense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willys44 Posted August 3, 2015 Share #15 Posted August 3, 2015 After reading the post it brings an old questions of the graves in Colleville sur Mer in Normandy, what happened to all the dog tags that are shown in the picture, they must surely be collected when they put stones instead of wooden crosses ? I know that many years back they found dog tag on US Cemetery No. 1 on Omaha beach when the land owner on the place made a tennis court on the spot, they were handed over to Omaha museum ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogTCollect Posted August 3, 2015 Share #16 Posted August 3, 2015 They threw the first cross with the tag on it in a big hole in the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willys44 Posted August 3, 2015 Share #17 Posted August 3, 2015 That must be some kind af hole with 5000 crosses in a pile ! But 20 years ago the old lady in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, in the "Le Holdy shop" was selling dog tag she told came from the cemetery ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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