RLSeipleSr Loc: North of Boston

I was on another site (has to do with 1911) earlier today and the talk turned to dog tags (only those with military ties will understand this) ... I finally put it together that during my time in service (1964 - 1985) I had four different style dog tag ... of course, this means nothing but, I thought I'd share anyroad ... ! Please don't flame me ... I grabbed a quick shoot with my ... uh! ... cell phone ...

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

Good morning, I still carry one of my tags (Navy) in my wallet, bit different color than yours, Bob.

Popeye Loc: LifIno

I still wear mine because it has my blood type on them. You can never tell these days. Mine have the notch on the end opposite the hole for the chain.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I had a P38 on mine also, and a second P38 in my pocket, one of them is on my key chain right now.

I wouldn't dream of carrying mine, the blood type is wrong. I found this out when doing tests for surgery at Kaiser some years ago. Seems I have an odd ball blood type that can test as the wrong type with the simple test the Army used in the 60s. When I told the doctor what my dog tags gave as my blood type he did a double take and said something on the order of: "You are lucky you were never wounded, if the Army had given you a transfusion based on that information it probably would have killed you!"

Popeye Loc: LifIno

OUCH! Am very glad you weren't wounded also.

peterg Loc: Santa Rosa, CA

The can opener, which was free for us, is still sold.

studavis

I don't know what happened to mine but mine had the notch in it. The notch was to fit in between your teeth when they found you and didn't want to lose the body identification. wonder what happened to the notch?

waywest Loc: las vegas

i still keep mine [66']on a keychain it is silver. i think the can opener was called a p38. the military is respected these days. i remember the signs in colorado springs stores & shops saying "no G I's"

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

Dogs and sailors Keep off the grass, Norfolk, VA

Big Bill Loc: Phoenix, AZ

The notch wasn't used to hold the mouth open.
It was used to orient the tag in the machine that embossed the text on the tag.
Newer machines don't need the notch, so they aren't there anymore.
However, the "information" about the notch being there to help hold the tag in place on a killed soldier is widely believed.

canarywood1 Loc: Sarasota,Florida

The can opener came with c rations as i recall.

micolh Loc: NYC

This I will tell you. I was in the Marines 60-68 I did two tours. I never saw any dog tag inserted in the mouth. I was in Force Recon. We marked as best we could the location and removed the tags. Why give Charlie any info on the ID of the body??

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

I wonder what happened to mine as well. I looked everywhere for them so I could get my blood type. I have no idea what it is.

jimmya Loc: Phoenix

I do understand. Before identity theft I remember having my SS# on the tags but eventually that went away. I also remember your can opener... I used one a lot in the Army in the field in the days of C-Rations.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

The SSN on tags has been mentioned, mine didn't have it back in 66 when they were issued to me at Ft Ord they had my army serial number, no SSN. Mine started with RA (like RLSeipleSr first tag at the top) since I was Regular Army, the guys that were drafted had US in front of their #.

I see several other people also mentioned the P38 can opener. I have two, one on one of my key chains and one ??? somewhere in my "stuff". One I got out of a C Rat pack in basic in 66 at Ft Ord (the C Rats were dated 1945, the year I was born) and one I got out of some C Rats while on a weeks outpost duty guarding a mountain pass near Qui Nhon in 67. I used to have a piece of tape on the one from basic but it came off and I lost track of which was which.

Several times over the years we have been somewhere and needed to open a can (once the kitchen can opener died) and I used the one on my key chain. It leaves my 70 year old fingers sore after a few cans, but it works. Since that key chain has all the room keys and stuff around the house I sometimes don't carry it, but often when we leave the house my wife will ask if I have it in case we need the can opener.