Family members often hold onto dog tags as if they are still grasping their lost loved one’s hands. Companions-in-arms have found solace in reading them. Over a century after a U.S. Army chaplain advocated for ‘dog tags’ to become standard issue for troops, they remain a poignant link for grieving military families to their deceased relatives.
Air Force Chaplain and Maj. Benjamin Quintanilla Jr. stated, ‘What they’re searching for is connection.’ This insight comes from Dover Air Force Base, where U.S. casualties from conflicts in Afghanistan and now Iran have been sent home. ‘These dog tags become a sacred symbol,’ he added.
From the World Wars to Vietnam and the Middle East conflicts, military identification tags have represented the sacrifices Americans make in global conflicts. The name ‘dog tags’ has an unclear origin according to the Pentagon. However, the need to identify soldiers lost in battle gained attention during the American Civil War. At that time, many soldiers were buried as ‘unknown,’ such as 75% of the 17,000 Union soldiers at Vicksburg National Cemetery, as reported by the National Park Service.
At the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, Chaplain Charles C. Pierce—who managed the morgue in the Philippines—first suggested that Army soldiers receive tags. By the time the U.S. entered World War I, combat soldiers were required to wear them. They became an official part of the uniform during World War II.
A U.S. soldier from the 82 Airborne Division holds the dog tag of Captain Davis Boris during a memorial ceremony at the forward operating base Bermel in Afghanistan on November 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File)
Today, advancements in forensics have made tags less essential for identification. However, the religious affiliation noted on them is still valuable for chaplains who provide specific prayers in battlefield situations, according to Quintanilla. The symbolic connection is what makes them indispensable. Surviving families cherish the dog tags their loved ones wore and those placed in honor on the casket during dignified transfer ceremonies. Some families continue to wear these tags, or even have them tattooed.
For troops, dog tags are a simple emblem of belonging. ‘I can trust somebody who is wearing the same identification as me,’ said Quintanilla, who initially joined the Air Force as a dental technician. ‘It means that I was a part of something greater than myself.’
This article is part of a recurring series, ‘American Objects,’ which marks the 250th anniversary of the United States. The Associated Press handles the content independently, with support from The Conversation US and funding from Lilly Endowment Inc.
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