Army Dog Tags WWII 1939-41

1. Custom Dog Tags
2. Military
3. WWII
4. 1939-1941 Army

$9.99/set of 2

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World War II era style U.S. Army Dog Tags(1939 – November 1941).

Rolled edge down, with debossed text and notch. Our replicas are made of stainless steel (not monel).

The notch was originally used for positioning the tag in transcription devices.

Serial numbers were issued as a result of the growing number of men with common names. Prefixes designated different services and origins. Blood type and Religion code were NOT included during this era.

To assist with making replica regulation Army Dog Tags 1939-1941 (WWII Era) we have created a template that automatically formats the information to the era-specific layout. Alternatively, if you have the original Dog Tags in-hand it may be easier to just recreate them directly on the Dog Tag Maker page, or just email us us a photo of them and we can do it for you.

Explore more Army Dog Tags templates for Other Eras & Styles2016-Present1975-2015Vietnam 69-74Vietnam 68-69Vietnam 67-68Vietnam 54-67Korean War 50-53WWII 44-46WWII 43-44WWII 41-43WWII 39-41Army MedicalArmy Motto

Our World War II Era Dog Tags set includes:

• 2 x Military grade debossed notched Dog Tags.
• 1 x Long 30" Stainless Steel Ballchain necklace
• 1 x Short 4.5" Stainless Steel Ballchain (toe-chain)

Why do people buy WWII era Dog Tags?

WWII Veterans replacing lost tags, Family members remembering loved ones, and historical re-enactors recreating replicas.

• Veterans order replacement sets of Dog Tags because they have lost their originals, they have been 'borrowed' by family members, or they want to give sets to their family as a memento.
• Family members and friends who want to create a little bit of history to celebrate and remember their loved ones who served.
• Veterans who never received Dog Tags (i.e. reservists).
• Historical re-enactors who are looking for period authentic uniforms.

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Why do some WWII Dog Tags have notches?

The notch on the Dog Tag was there to align it on a handheld transcription machine (Model 70 Addressograph Patented) which was used by field medics to quickly transfer the soldier’s information onto paper medical forms or burial records. This is also the reason why Dog Tags in this era were debossed so that they became in effect the printing press to record information on paperwork using an ink ribbon. Notched Dog Tags were standard issue until December 1964 until the Department of Defense officially switched to Dog Tags without notches in early 1965. However, military bases with older notched-style tags in inventory still issued them for a while from 1965 up until 1966. Some soldiers colloquially refered to it as a "tooth notch".

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What does the T mean on a WWII Dog Tag?

Dog Tags from WWII up until the Korean war included the year that a tetanus toxid vaccination shot was administered, in the format of T## where the ## represents the year i.e. T43. The subsequent vaccination booster shot usually followed one year later at which point it would also be added to the tag.

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Why were 4 different Dog Tag formats used in WWII?

Recognizing that the world was heading to war in 1939 the US Army wanted a better system to identify their soldiers. Up until then the Dog Tags used during and since WW1 were variations on a round tag made of aluminum and then later Monel, a metal alloy. The information stamped (mostly by hand) was usually limited to the soldier’s name and serial number. The new Dog Tags called for in 1939 were machine embossed on Monel based on commercial store credit plates, developed by the Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation of Cleveland, that could transfer information from the tags to paper records using carbon pages. The size and shape of the new Dog Tags could hold much more information than the previous styles. The notch of the Dog Tag was designed to align and hold the Dog Tag in place in a hand held printer called the Model 70 Addressograph which was used in the field to quickly transfer the soldier's name and serial number to medical and other paper based records.

1. In 1940 the US Army issued Dog Tags with the top two lines for the soldier’s name and serial number respectively. Lines three to five were used to record the emergency contact information, usually their next of kin’s name, address, city and state.
2. Beginning in November of 1941 regulations greatly improved the value of the identification tags by including critical medical information. The second line, in addition to the serial number, now included the years of the wearer’s tetanus shots and their blood type. This new information greatly assisted with medical treatments in the field. A letter code was also added to the fifth or fourth line to indicate their religious preference.
3. The next major change to the information on US Army Dog Tags came in July of 1943 when the emergency contact information was removed from issued tags for a good reason... Soldiers heading overseas to fight in Europe with existing tags were issued new tags minus their next of kin information. This change was done to prevent the enemy from intimidating captured soldiers by threatening their family with the information carried on their Dog Tag.
4. The last change to US Army identification tags during WW2 in 1944 was essentially an administrative one. New tags issued would follow a standard layout of Last Name, First Name Initial.. Prior to this the regulations called for the 'Name of Wearer' and would be embossed by the machine operator as they saw fit. Soldiers with tags issued before this would not get new ones as there was not a functional change to the use of the tags.

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What metals were WWII Dog Tags made of?

During this era the Dog Tags were made from a variety of metals, often changing as a result of wartime resource rationing. Regulations initially called for the tags to be made of Monel which is a nickel-copper alloy that had a yellowish tinge to it because of the copper. As these metals were in high demand during the war access to Monel became limited and tags were made of number of different metals such as brass and stainless steel. Later during the war they were made exclusively of stainless steel.

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What types of Dog Tags necklaces were used in WWII?

Originally Dog Tags were issued with a variety of fabric materials for use as necklaces such as Cotton Herringbone Twill tape. A specialized linked curb chain for tags was produced which had two sets of J-clasps aka Sister-Hooks that would clamp around the hole in each Dog Tag and suspend one below the other. It require 2 hands to open and close the clasp. Beaded ball chains became available for optional purchase in the quartermaster supply shops and soldiers began to prefer them over the J-clasps. A fatter ball chain was eventually replaced by a smaller ball chain that quickly became the standard that is still used today.

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What is Debossed lettering?

This method deforms the metal so that the letters are sunken below the surface (indented) into the Dog Tag. It is the opposite of embossing where the letters are raised above the metal, which is the modern method. They allowed for making carbon copies of the soldier's information with the M70 Addressograph discussed above. Sometimes the letters would darken over time as the result of an accumulation of dirt and grime. This effect can be replicated on newly made tags by rubbing in black shoe polish, letting it dry for 30 seconds, and then wiping the surface of the tag with a cloth.

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Where can I research my relative's military records?

If you are researching historical records about WWII and Korean War Era Dog Tags and those who served we recommend the following sites:

1. Fold3.com
   A premium comprehensive paid service (with Free Trial) covering a large span of period of wars and nationalities.
   
2. National Archives Military Records
3. National Archives Enlisted Records (1938-1946)
4. National Archives Reserve Corps Records (1938-1946)
5. eVetrRecs for Veterans and Next of Kin
6. National Archives Veteran's Service Records Request
   Request DD 214/ Separation Documents, Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), Replacement Medals, Medical and Health Records

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Army Dog Tags 1939-1941 (WWII Era) Template Creator

Enter your info into the form below to easily create replica Army Dog Tags 1939-1941 (WWII Era). You can often find this information on DD 214 discharge papers. Watch this YouTube video for a demo. You can also design your tags without a template, or use our pen-and-paper mail/fax order form, or just send us an email with a photo of the original Dog Tags.

Overwrite the light grey text with your particulars and then click the Preview button. You can then make optional changes to your design (i.e. hole/notch location) or choose different chains and silencers.

Soldier's Information:
Last Name:
First Name:
Middle Initial:
Service Number:
Next of Kin Name:
Next of Kin Address:
Next of Kin City/State:
Dog Tag Features:
Pre-set to most common Army Dog Tags 1939-1941 (WWII Era) characteristics, leave defaults unchanged if unsure. Many more options are available after clicking Preview.
Neck & Toe Chain:	Modern Milspec 2.1mm BallchainWWII fatter 3.2mm Ballchain (+99¢)WWII Cotton HBT Twill Tape
Letter Darkening:	Clean (Default)Darkened (+$10)
Gold-Plating:	None  (Default)24K Gold Plated (+$60)
Pre-assembly:	None  (Default)Pre-assembled (+$2.99)

On the next Preview page you can make further changes to each line on the tags, and choose from other options.

What is the Army Dog Tags 1939-1941 (WWII Era) format?

Our replica Army Dog Tags 1939-1941 (WWII Era) have Debossed (indented) text on a 2" x 1⅛" dull stainless steel notched Dog Tag, rolled edge down, hole on right with the suggested regulation format:

1. [First Name] [Middle Initial] [Last Name]
2. [Serial No.]
3. [Next of Kin Name]
4. [Next of Kin Street Address]
5. [Next of Kin City & State]

Next of Kin info is for contacting in event of emergency or death. Tetanus Toxoid shot (T), Blood Type, and religious preference (C,H,or P) are not added until 10 November 1941.

How do your replicas compare with the original Dog Tags?

With the permission of the current owners of the originals, the military issued Army Dog Tags 1939-1941 (WWII Era) are shown next to our reproduction for comparison. Military bios and photos of the original dogtag owners are displayed when available.

1942 US Army - SSgt Joseph W. Dvorak Jr

The tag on the left belonged to US Army SSgt Joseph W. Dvorak Jr. The original tag has debossed letters. Over time it accumulated dirt and grime in the depressions of the letters, and the hole became bigger as the chain chafed against it. Our replica on the right is made of 304 stainless steel and also debossed. We applied black shoe polish to darken the letters to simulate the time-worn look of the original.

SSgt Joseph W. Dvorak Jr enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard soon after Pearl Harbor and was trained in Chemical Weapons. He attended Basic Training at Fort Snell, MN and was deployed to New Guinea where he was wounded in combat. He was subsequently evacuated to Perth, Australia after contracting malaria. He survived the war and continued to serve his country through federal employment eventually becoming a Secret Service agent on President Lyndon Johnson’s security detail.

Thank you SSgt Joseph W. Dvorak Jr for your military service, we salute you!

Photos and history provided courtesy of his grandson Sgt. Andrew J. Dvorak.

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If you'd also like to share photos of Dog Tags and military service history of yourself or veterans in your family please Contact Us.

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More About Army Dog Tags 1939-1941 (WWII Era)

During World War II the US military issued Dog Tags to members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Army Air Force, National Guard, Women’s Army Corps, Coast Guard, & Merchant Marines.

Dog Tags contained information about the soldier and were used as a form of identification. The information on the Dog Tags varied considerably depending on the branch of service and the year.

If you are looking for more historical information about WWII Dog Tags and those who served we recommend the National Archives or eVetrRecs.

Lost Dogtags

Are you a veteran who lost his Dog Tags years ago? We can make you a new set that look almost identical to your originals depending on when you served. We also offer a Veteran discount!

Memorial Keepsakes

Recreations of personal historical Dog Tags from specific war eras make sentimental souvenir mementos to honor the memory of a loved one.



Commemorate your grandfather, father, or other family members who served in the military with a recreation set of replica Dog Tagsnameplate-for-trx300-atv.vehicle to match their originals. Under no circumstances should Dogtags made by MyDogtag.com be used for such purposes.

Military Family Dogtags

Is one of your relatives in the military? Support your soldier with a Military Family Dogtag.

Not to be used for impersonation!

Not only is Stolen Valor unethical and disrespecful to our service members and veterans, it IS illegal in most jurisdications to impersonate a member of the armed forces. Unlike Military ID Cards, dogtags are not a valid form of official military identification so it is not illegal per se to wear them. However lying about military service or trying to pass yourself of as a service member or vet by wearing a uniform or medals that were not earned is criminalized in some circumstances, especially if done with the goal of obtaining money or kinds of tangible benefits. Under no circumstances should dog tags be worn with this intent.

U.S. Military Dog Tags Frequently Asked Questions

What are Dog Tags for?

Does the military still issue Dog Tags?

Are these real military Dog Tags?

Why do soldiers have 2 Dog Tags?

Do soldiers have to wear Dog Tags?

Where can I find official specs for USA military Dog Tags?

Where can I find the official records to put on the Dog Tags?

Where can I research my relative's military records?

Were civilians ever issued Dog Tags?

About Dog Tags from MyDogtag.com

At MyDogtag.com, we provide premium quality Personalized Military Dog Tags for sale that will last a lifetime. They are completely customizable so you can easily order G.I. replica Dog Tags as per military specs, or use your own design for any other use or occasion. The tag starts as a blank canvas, what you put on it is entirely your choice... you aren't obligated to put official Military Dog Tag info on it. You also get to see a preview of what your finished Dog Tag set will look like before you even order it! We can even laser engrave your custom logo or image!

All orders are shipped within 1 business day and are usually delivered within 1 week (in North America). If you need any assistance creating or ordering your Army Dog Tags 1939-1941 (WWII Era) please contact us directly, we are here to help!

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