Identification Tag and Cover

Identifier

http://dp.la/api/items/6d4ef37f29926a2a6560a18bb6b1f20d

Title

Identification Tag and Cover

Date

1944

Description

Physical Description
Metal tag imprinted "Mary A. Millian" on a chain. Green yarn crocheted cover.
General History
The idea of identifying a soldier in case of injury or death during combat dates back to the Civil War, when soldiers pinned paper notes to their clothing as identification. Metal identification tags, or "dog tags" as they are popularly known, have their origins in World War I. By 1913 the United States Army made ID tags mandatory. During World War II each soldier was given two dog tags, a short chain and a long chain. The purpose of the different lengths of chain was to keep the two tags separate, so as not to make noise in the field. The smaller chain was also used for purposes of body identification in case of death.
Currently not on view

Subject

WW II
ThinkFinity
Great Depression, 1929-1939
Military
World War, 1939-1945

Source

Smithsonian Institution

Relation

https://ids.si.edu/ids/deliveryService?id=NMAH-2004-55189&max=150

References

http://collections.si.edu/search/results.htm?q=record_ID=nmah_1357636&repo=DPLA

Subject

WW II
ThinkFinity
Great Depression, 1929-1939
Military
World War, 1939-1945

Citation

“Identification Tag and Cover,” Center for Knit and Crochet Digital Repository, accessed August 20, 2026, https://digital.centerforknitandcrochet.org/items/show/27802.

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