WWI dog tag stamping kit

Dog tags were crucial in identifying soldiers

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All WWI dog tags were hand-stamped. Dog tag stamping kits like this one were issued to a company’s supply sergeant and kept under tight control. This kit was used to replace and repair lost or damaged dog tags. The kit came complete with a brass anvil, hammer, and tin plates.

Dog tags originated in the Civil War as simple notes soldiers pinned to their uniforms with their name and hometown. Others engraved their names into belt plates or wrote their names on their  knapsacks. In 1906 the U.S. Army began issuing pairs of aluminum dog tags. In the event of a soldier’s death, one tag stayed with the body and the second tag was given to the individual in charge of the burial. In 1918 the Army added a serial number along with the soldier’s name and any medical alerts. 

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WWI dog tag stamping kit Artifact from Austin
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