Deciphering a WWI dog tag

[StevenL]

I found this early WWI dog tag today and I'm have some trouble figuring out what this mans assignment was. I'm guessing the markings stand for Company 95, but I don't have any ideas on what the C.A.C. stands for. Does anyone recognize it?

[QED4]

It is Company 95 Coast Artillery Corps. The early Coast Artillery was unique in its numbering system, it had companies rather than batteries like the Field Artillery and they were numbered through the entire corps not just through the regiment. Eventually they switched to the same numbering system as the rest of the Army with lettered companies starting over in each regiment.

[StevenL]

Thank you for the great explanation. I certainly wasn't thinking it was Coastal Artillery when I bought it, that's a nice surprise.

[ehrentitle]

According to Paul Braddock's excellent book on Dog Tags this one is characteristic of the M-1910 style tag issued from 1917-1918. After February 1918 the man's serial number would have been added to the reverse.

[tredhed2]

It is Company 95 Coast Artillery Corps. The early Coast Artillery was unique in its numbering system, it had companies rather than batteries like the Field Artillery and they were numbered through the entire corps not just through the regiment. Eventually they switched to the same numbering system as the rest of the Army with lettered companies starting over in each regiment.

 

It would be more accurate to say that units that started out as CAC, or CA, and were redesignated AAA, continued with batteries rather than companies during WW II- Korea.