WW1 1st Aero Co USMC Dog Tag

[ailcol]

Hi Everyone,

I recently bought a group of WW1 dog tags. It was a group of ten at an auction.I didn't get a chance to really look at them with the description being all WW1 aviation dog tags. I was very surprised when I started going through them and found this one USMC tag.It is on a coin from the Azores and it is marked:

Harold C Kropf

1st Aero Co

U.S.M.C.

1-22-18

Azores

 

I know he enlisted in June 1917 until May 1920. He passed away in 1952.

What I like about this piece is that the unit arrived at the Azores for anti-submarine duty on 1-21-1918 so it seems having this dog tag made was one of the very first things he did when he arrived!

The 1st Aero Co had only 12 officers and 133 enlisted men when ordered to the Azores. A very small unit.

Does anybody know of any good histories about them?

[teufelhunde.ret]

The 1st Aero Co had only 12 officers and 133 enlisted men when ordered to the Azores. A very small unit.

Does anybody know of any good histories about them?

You find more info here:

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/32876-majgen-william-pt-hill-usmc-5-decades-of-service/

and

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/33042-the-first-marine-aeronautic-company-1917-1919/

 

and

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/33229-1st-marine-aero-co-the-azores-1918-19/

and

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/33408-melvin-j-mass-first-marine-aeronautical-company-azores/

 

and

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=85209&&page=2

[warguy]

Very cool piece! Kevin

[ailcol]

Thanks for the additional info. Much appreciated!

[Jack's Son]

This is a very unusual dog tag. We will look forward to see how the research pans out. Good Luck.

[bellasilva]

Wow, I like it!

[Belleauwood]

I very rarely comment on the forum anymore, but this is one great piece. WW1Marine aviation is, in my opinion, the most rare of USMC items to find. The Azores squadron, as you no doubt know by now, was the 1st Marine aviation detachment to go overseas as a totally Marine unit. The Northern Bombing Group Marines did not arrive overseas until July of 1918 and they were dispersed amoung the US Navy's Day Wing and a couple of British Bombing Squadrons. The first time a Marine Squadron flew as an exclusive Marine formation in France was late in the war. The target was the rail heads in Thielt, Belgium.

 

Great tag you got there.

 

Dennis

[Bulldog]

Wow, very nice and seldom seen tag!