Pre-WWII Dog tag Question

[NGCoastArtillery41]

Hey everyone,

 

So I lost my set of reproduction WWII dog tags I use for reenacting. In doing my research I have found that the WWII version of the dog tags were issued starting in 1940. But this has generated a couple questions for me:

 

What type of dog tags would a soldier have been issued had he enlisted in the National Guard in 1938?

 

Where could I find the number batches for army service numbers for soldiers enlisting prior to WWII?

 

Would a soldier enlisting prior to the war have gotten issued the new version of the dog tag in 1940?

 

Thanks any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

"WE AIM TO HIT"

 

 

[The_Brick]

I found some information regarding your questions in the Fort Cronkhite Historical Furnishing Report and various other websites.

 

The serial numbers from 1919-1940 were 6,000,000-7,999,999 before switching to the 8 digit service numbers of WWII (June 30, 1940 marks the last serial number,7,070,199, issued before the switch to the 8 digit numbers).

 

If I am not mistaken a member of the National Guard in 1938 would have gotten round tags.

 

By December 1940 it is safe to assume that the notched dog tag was in use, but before then it is possible that a mix of notched tags and round tags were in use-at least thats what I think based on what I have read.

 

http://www.med-dept.com/dog_tags.php

http://users.skynet.be/jeeper/page82.html

 

http://www.hardscrabblefarm.com/ww2/dogtags_serial.htm

 

I hope this helps,

[hist3891]

The most common identification tags issued in the late 1930s were the M-1918 and the M-1924. The M-1918 is the small aluminum identification tag with two holes that was issued during WWI; it is 30mm in diameter. The M-1924 is also 30mm in diameter, but has an integral loop and is made of a nickel alloy called Monel (more corrosion resistant than aluminum). The M-1910 (35mm aluminum disk with a single hole) and M-1918A (35mm aluminum disk with two holes) were also in circulation.

Many soldiers who were issued these pre-WWII tags continued to wear them until discharge. A man who entered the Army around 1940 could easily pick up five or more different identification tags during his service.

Pictured below is a pair of M-1918 tags and a single notched tag issued to the same soldier.

[hist3891]

Reverse.

[hist3891]

Pair of M-1924 tags on cloth cord issued to a man who enlisted in the South Carolina National Guard in September 1940.

[hist3891]

Reverse.

[hist3891]

M-1918a tag that was probably issued in the 1920s. I have included one of Daugherty’s M-1918 tags in the shot for size comparison.

[hist3891]

Reverse.

[hist3891]

M-1917 tag issued just after the end of WWI.

[NGCoastArtillery41]

Awesome, thanks guys. I think I am going to go ahead and go with a set of the M1918 or M1924 just to switch it up a little bit.

[cco23i]

On the 24 what is the dimensions of them?