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Tags & disk from the Slaybaugh
Family,
by way of Jim MacClay, Web Staff |
Feature
Index NEXT |
WWII 3AD DOG TAGS
(with special disk for personal protection)
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Photo by Vic Damon, Web Staff |
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 John
E. Slaybaugh of south-central PA served as a tank gunner
in Co I, 33rd Armored Regiment, 3AD, during 1942-45. He first
saw combat in the Normandy hedgerows in June, 1944. John was
wounded twice, second time in the "Bulge," where he
was evacuated for five weeks in a hospital. He returned to Co
I in time for the drive across the Roer River and into Cologne.
He crossed the Rhine River in his Sherman tank on a pontoon bridge
in March, 1945. Ahead lay the battle for Central Europe, ending
for his unit with the 3AD's defeat of German forces at Dessau
on the Elbe River. John was an active member of the 3rd Armored
Division Association and attended many reunions. |
Some WWII Dog Tag Facts
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- US Army dog tags issued between Nov. 1941 and July 1943 included
name and address of next of kin (as shown above). If a larger
city, the street address was included. With tags issued after
July 1943, and to this day, the next of kin is not included.
- Slaybaugh's 8-digit service number indicates that he was
a draftee ("3" first number) in the 3rd Corps area
("3" second number).
- On the second line, "T42" gives the year of his
tetanus immunization; the following "42" is the year
of the tetanus toxoid; and "B" is blood type.
- "P" on the fourth line is his religion. The choices
were Protestant, Catholic, and Hebrew. If a soldier professed
no religion in WWII, or was a member of any other religion, no
letter was printed.
- What is the mysterious notch on the side of the tag opposite
the chain hole? It's simply there to allow the tag to be positioned
on the embossing machine.
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