bellasilva Posted January 7, 2013 Share #1 Posted January 7, 2013 May not seem like much to everyone else but my main focus is dog tags, I've been looking for a USMC thumbprint tag for a while now and I just won my first one on ebay, so I am pretty ecstatic. That being said, can anyone help me ID his division or possibly MOS? I'd really appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share #2 Posted January 7, 2013 Back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strawberry 9 Posted January 7, 2013 Share #3 Posted January 7, 2013 That's a nice one! I don't collect dogtags so I wasn't even aware that thumbprint tags existed. Were they only done with USMC tags? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted January 7, 2013 Share #4 Posted January 7, 2013 USN did them as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squad leader Posted January 7, 2013 Share #5 Posted January 7, 2013 Sgt Ira L. Monroe was an aircraft engineer in Squadron 24. (source: Muster roll) Hope it helps. Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wharfmaster Posted January 7, 2013 Share #6 Posted January 7, 2013 The Coast Guard also did fingerprints early in WW2. The Wharfmaster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morlok Posted January 7, 2013 Share #7 Posted January 7, 2013 Nice one! I have 5 USN thumbprint tags, but the USMC tags seem much harder to find. I'll find one eventually!! Great addition to your collection for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HattonWWII Posted January 7, 2013 Share #8 Posted January 7, 2013 Didnt know these existed but very cool. Congrats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squad leader Posted January 7, 2013 Share #9 Posted January 7, 2013 Sgt Ira L. Monroe was an aircraft engineer in Squadron 24. (source: Muster roll) Hope it helps. Dan. A quick correction. Sgt Ira L. Monroe was in Aircraft engineering Squadron 24. According to his MOS, he was an airplane armorer (MOS 911). Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted January 7, 2013 Thanks for the feedback, gents. I see USMC tags on the bay fairly frequently but thumbprint tags not so much..so would that be MAG-24? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
501stGeronimo Posted January 8, 2013 Share #11 Posted January 8, 2013 Very NICE FIND, had one MANY MOONS ago! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted January 8, 2013 Share #12 Posted January 8, 2013 Nice early one.Congrats on your find Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Signor Posted January 8, 2013 Share #13 Posted January 8, 2013 Thanks for the feedback, gents. I see USMC tags on the bay fairly frequently but thumbprint tags not so much..so would that be MAG-24? I believe it would be the "SMS-24" or Service Squadron -24 under MAG-24's control . Johnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patches Posted January 8, 2013 Share #14 Posted January 8, 2013 Question: How was the thumb print engaved on the tags, I read Acid? how? please excuse my ignorance on this matter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted January 8, 2013 Share #15 Posted January 8, 2013 Acid is correct, not sure of the process though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share #16 Posted January 8, 2013 Looks like Monroe was with MAG-21 2nd MAW, and as Squad leader said, was an airplane armorer. Here's the short wikipedia history of MAG-21: MAG-21 suffered 17 casualties and all 21 of their aircraft were destroyed during the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.[5] Squadrons from MAG-21 fought at the Battle of Wake Island, Battle of Midway and as part of the Cactus Air Force during the Battle of Guadalcanal but the group itself remained at MCAS Ewa until February 1943 when they departed for Banika in the Russell Islands. By June 1943, MAG-21's squadrons were fighting large scale operations against Japanese installations in the northern Solomon Islands. The group moved to Efate in November 1943 and remained there until June 1944. Their final destination during the war was on Guam where they were based from August 1944 until the end of the war.[6] shortly before the Battle of Midway The squadron returned to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in March 1946 with follow on movement to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. They were deactivated in April 1947.[7] Yep, I'm happy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share #17 Posted January 8, 2013 Sgt. Ira Lafayett Monroe, JR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry K. Posted January 8, 2013 Share #18 Posted January 8, 2013 Nice pick-up! Where did you get the grave pic? Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share #19 Posted January 8, 2013 Nice pick-up! Where did you get the grave pic? Terry findagrave.com, I figured with a unique name like that he wouldn't be hard to research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hink441 Posted January 9, 2013 Share #20 Posted January 9, 2013 Very nice tags, congrats!!! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etienne Posted January 9, 2013 Share #21 Posted January 9, 2013 Very nice tag indeed ... it always a nice experience when you research and find informations about the original owner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mars&thunder Posted January 9, 2013 Share #22 Posted January 9, 2013 Regarding the question about how fingerprints were etched on the tags.... usmcwwiidogtags.com says: According to the naval regulations that were in force at the beginning of the war, each man's fingerprint was required to be etched to the unmarked side of each tag. The process involved applying the fingerprint with printer's ink, then sprinkling the area with finely powdered glisonite or asphaltum which would adhere to the ink. Once the ink had dried, the excess powder was removed by simply blowing it off. The dog tag was then heated to a temperature slightly above the boiling point of water and permitted to cool before being placed into a solution of nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, and water for a period of one hour. Upon completion of this process, the dog tag was dried and was now imprinted with the wearer's fingerprint. This explanation sounds very much like the one I have read which explained how it was done for WWI navy tags. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted January 9, 2013 Share #23 Posted January 9, 2013 Sounds complex...probably a reason to do away with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1st Sgt CES Posted January 10, 2013 Share #24 Posted January 10, 2013 Great Find !!! I did not know that the Marines did this !! Blue Skies Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellasilva Posted January 10, 2013 Author Share #25 Posted January 10, 2013 Thanks everyone. Just checked the tracking and it should be here in a couple hours. So now that the thumbprint topic is up, i'm curious if anyone knows exactly why early USMC/USN/USCG dog tags had thumbprints at all? We all know tags were for ID purposes, on and off the battlefield, but I highly doubt if someone was KIA the thumbprint would be used to "make sure"..or is this info lost in the wind? I'm interested to hear what you all think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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