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WWII U.S.N. dog tags - where used?


tsellati
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Let me begin by saying if it is inappropriate to "hijack" someone else's picture (and I hope costa does not mind the "free" advertising) to start a discussion then the admin can delete this post.

 

However, here is why I was interested to start this topic. Costa posted the following in the For Sale section -

 

post-73-1265497648-1.jpg

 

According to costa they are ww2 navy dog tags and he poses the question whether they could have been used by a sailor on "sub service due to rubber ovals around each tag??".

 

A reasonable possibility, however, shortly after coming across these dog tags I read an interesting passage on page 109 in William Manchester's "Goodbye, Darkness".

 

And I quote, "We sliced sections from the [Japanese gas] masks' rubber tubing to rim our dog tags, so the clash of metal on metal couldn't be heard at night". This passage describes some the the actions of U.S. Marines while fighting the Japanese along "The Bloody Trail" or Kokoda Trail between Port Moresby and Ioribaiwa on New Guinea.

 

So, I wonder if it is possible that costa's dog tags belonged to someone fighting in the PTO either on New Guinea or another island (if this was a common trick to prevent giving away one's position)?

 

Does anyone else have dog tags so modified with a rubber rim? If so, please share some pictures and any available information about where their wartime owner may have served.

 

Tim

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Let me begin by saying if it is inappropriate to "hijack" someone else's picture (and I hope costa does not mind the "free" advertising) to start a discussion then the admin can delete this post.

 

However, here is why I was interested to start this topic. Costa posted the following in the For Sale section -

 

post-73-1265497648-1.jpg

 

According to costa they are ww2 navy dog tags and he poses the question whether they could have been used by a sailor on "sub service due to rubber ovals around each tag??".

 

A reasonable possibility, however, shortly after coming across these dog tags I read an interesting passage on page 109 in William Manchester's "Goodbye, Darkness".

 

And I quote, "We sliced sections from the [Japanese gas] masks' rubber tubing to rim our dog tags, so the clash of metal on metal couldn't be heard at night". This passage describes some the the actions of U.S. Marines while fighting the Japanese along "The Bloody Trail" or Kokoda Trail between Port Moresby and Ioribaiwa on New Guinea.

 

So, I wonder if it is possible that costa's dog tags belonged to someone fighting in the PTO either on New Guinea or another island (if this was a common trick to prevent giving away one's position)?

 

Does anyone else have dog tags so modified with a rubber rim? If so, please share some pictures and any available information about where their wartime owner may have served.

 

Tim

 

Here is my example, G J Merletti 1942 USMC:

IMG_3970.jpg

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