Very cool WW1 102nd Infantry Regiment WIA dog tag

[bellasilva]

Just picked this one up and I'm pretty excited! Luckily this man is from my home state of Connecticut, which has WW1 service index cards available on fold3, making research a cinch.

 

Samuel Ford was born in Derryland, Ireland around 1889, and after immigrating to the US he joined the Connecticut National Guard, serving with Company G, 102nd Infantry Regiment, 26th Division in June 1916. In September 1917, Ford became part of the Allied Expeditionary Force and landed with his unit in France. He took part in an incredible 8 campaigns with the 102nd, to include Chemin Des Dames, Toul, Seicheprey, Chateau Thierry, the Aisne-Marne Offensive, the St. Mihiel Offensive, Troyon, and St. Hilaire. He was wounded in action on October 6, 1918.

 

Ford served in the same Regiment as the famed dog Sgt. Stubby. As has been pointed out, Sgt. Stubby out ranked Ford. I wonder if Ford ever had to fetch a bone for his war-weary Sergeant.

 

What is even cooler about this tag is that on the back (hard to see from the picture), the words "U.S.S. Agamemnon April 9, 1919" are scratched onto it. Ford completed his service with the AEF on April 7, and the Agamemnon, a German passenger ship seized by the US government at the outbreak of WW1, made several trips ending in August of that year ferrying troops back home. So it looks as if this is one of the tags Ford wore during his service overseas, with a commemoration of his return home scratched into the reverse of the tag. He was honorably discharged on April 29th, and sadly passed away far too young in 1938. Enjoy gents.

[bellasilva]

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[mhalstead1950]

Great tags! I love WWI dog tags and it is nice to have them from your home state as well as have them be researchable.

[David D]

Awesome tag!

[bellasilva]

Thanks guys, very excited for this one!

[bellasilva]

I received the tag a few days ago and it was tough to get a good shot of the inscription on the back, so I used a photo negative effect and it came out a little more clear. Really love this tag