Are These Military Contractor Dog Tags?

[bbmilitaria]

Hello all, does anyone know if these are military contractor dog tags or do they have any military connection at all? I have never seen a similar tag. Any help is always appreciated! Thank you, Mike

[USdog]

What you have are Wisconsin unemployment dog tags.

[dan_the_hun84]

What you have are Wisconsin unemployment dog tags.

 

 

what the devil is a unemployment dog tag?

[Allan H.]

These date prior to 1963 when the USPS began using the zip code. The "6 WIS" is an early postal designation to help define where in the state a letter would be delivered.

 

It looks like Siesel Construction was active in the 1950's and 60's and Lenco Smith became Smith Tool in 1968.

 

 

I've never heard of unemplyment tags and couldn't find any good references on line. It wouldn't surprise me if these weren't a construction ID tag used in case a worker was badly injured or killed pre OSHA days when work-based fatalities in the construction indstry were downright commonplace.

 

I would assume that a contractor working in Vietnam would have had some sort of ID tag, but I cannot tell you if these are government issued.

 

Allan

[VMI88]

Is it possible these are some sort of address embosser used for sending mass mail? As I recall that was how what we now think of as the standard WW2 dog tag came about. The shape is different and instead of a notch these have a tab to align them, but the function appears similar.

[AustinO]

I have also heard of these being used as VA benefit tags, but have not found anything official on the style.

 

Here is one that I once owned, belonged to a paratrooper with his service number and BOS on the bottom row. Note he was also from Wisconsin.

 

[Bob Hudson]

As noted above these are Wisconsin unemployment dogtags. Here's some others: note the upper right corner serial number, beginning with a letter - that is not a military number and is common to these: