Marine Dog Tags WWII

Comments

1. David Magness January 25 2012, 8:51 pm

   They are indeed WWII-era dog tags.
   If you were wondering, “955090” was their serial number, before the use of SocSec numbers.
   Type-O (blood type)
   T.7/44- Their date of training (July 44)
   USMCR-USMarineCorpsReserve

   I have no information on this person, but I would try using his serial # as a way to find his family or burial place. The VA has records, but getting anything from them, short of the immediate family, you’d have better luck pulling teeth.
   If you’re curious as to how I know this, I have a pair of tags, almost identical, yet they had belonged to my mother. She had been the Marine in the family!
   Until I came along. But that’s another story.
   Good luck in your search for Mr. Wilder.
   Semper Fi
   Maj. D

2. tfiveoh1 January 25 2012, 9:22 pm

   To obtain veterans’ service records, this is a good place to start.  http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/standard-form-180.html.  Through the freedom of information act, you can obtain basic service information on D.L. Wilder including his home of record, rank, MOS and awards.  The home of record can be a start to tracking down his relatives if they still live there. Good luck.

   Semper Fi,
   T. Schlueter

3. Guns0331 January 26 2012, 7:24 am

   If you haven’t tried Together We Served that might find a relative since being a Marine is a family thing. The other place to try is Ancestry.com
   Good luck with the search you are doing the right thing, sending them in to be destroyed is another example of how much our Government cares.

   Semper Fi.

   Bill Knoop A co. 1/3 1966/67

4. Guest Web Account January 26 2012, 11:10 am

   Here is the   ONLY DL Wilder buried under Veterans Administration information that was in the Marine Corps, among quite a few Wilder’s that were in other branches of the military.

   20.    WILDER, DAVID L
     PVT   US MARINE CORPS
     WORLD WAR II
     DATE OF BIRTH: 05/06/1918
     DATE OF DEATH: 01/28/1998
     BURIED AT:
     ETERNAL VALLEY MEMORIAL PARK
     23287 NORTH SIERRA HIGHWAY NEWHALL, CA 91321
     (661) 259-0800

   You may search this, and any other veteran who has passed away, at the following site:

   http://m.va.gov/gravelocator/

   I hope this helps in the research. SemperFi !  India Co 3’rdBn/26thMarines 1969

5. Cynthia Lipsius January 26 2012, 12:22 pm

   I have a copy of my father’s platoon picture from WWII.  There is a PFC Wilder in it, don’t know if this is the same one as there are no first names.  This is the 3rd platoon of E-2-29 of the Sixth Marine Division, the Division fought in the battle of Okinawa.  I pulled out the book I have on the History of the Sixth Marine Division and looked up the name Wilder in the back where the medal recipients are listed.  There is a Frank E. Wilder listed in the Purple Heart section.  I don’t know if this is the same Wilder listed in my father’s platoon picture, and I can’t ask my father as he passed away in 2000.  The Sixth Marine Division has a website, you might want to inquire there if anyone might know anything.  You might also want to try obtaining D.L. Wilder’s seperation from military form as this might give you some information as to where he was from. 
   Sincerely,
   Cynthia Lipsius

6. Cynthia Lipsius January 26 2012, 8:23 pm

   I have my father’s platoon picture taken in Feb of 1945, there is a list of names and one of them is PFC Wilder.  Unfortunately there are no first names and I can’t ask my father as he passed away in 2000.  It is the 3rd platoon of E-2-29 of the Sixth Marine Div.  If the 1944 on the dog tags is when D.L. Wilder enlisted, he may have been part of this division.  The Sixth Division was formed in September of 1944 and fought in the battle of Okinawa.  They have a web site (The Sixth Marine Division Association) where you could contact Bill Pierce, Public Relations, to see if anyone knows that name.  I looked it up in the Sixth Marine Division History book and found a Frank Wilder listed under Purple Hearts, no Wilder listed on the Honor Roll.
   You might also want to try obtaining his Separation from the Military paper as that would at least tell you where he had lived.
   Good luck and God bless you in your search.
   Sincerely,
   Cynthia Lipsius

7. RAYMOND VAUGHN January 27 2012, 9:15 am

   https://www.armydogtags.com/a_History.php  is the url for history of dog tags. Round type tags were used in WWI, starting in l906.
   If HQMC will not help with the Marine Next of Kin Identification, you may consider asking for help from http://www.HistoryChannel.com,
   http://www.Military.com or http://www.Ancestry.com. The Mormon Church of Latter Day Saints also has an excellent database and resource center for this type thing. Another possible source may be to Google Marine Corps 4th Division websites, that may have a listing of Marine Corps Reservist from the WWI period. Good luck, I’m sure this Marines surviving family members would be thrilled to have the ID tags returned.

8. Phil Silva September 12 2012, 12:47 pm

   Hi. I know this thread is a bit old but I would love some help with a WWII USMC dog tag I just picked up from a recently deceased vet who received a purple heart. Ive just gotten into collecting USMC tags (used to collect a ton of WWII army dog tags) and this one just happens to be what I believe to be brass. It is the P1917 format and definitely shows it’s age, especially with the hole being worn down as it is. My only issue is that since it is my first brass tag, I can’t find any other examples of brass tags, and this one is quite shiny, it could have been polished but I am not sure. If anyone can help I would be happy to post a picture. Thanks!

9. Matt Wilder May 15 2013, 9:06 pm

   Cynthia,

   The Frank E. Wilder you mentioned above is most likey my grandfather.  He did receive a Purple Heart.  He was over in Pacific.  He passed away 17 years ago today.  5-15-13.  Is there away to the photo?  Thanks.

   Matt Wilder

Leave a Comment

You must be logged in to leave a comment.

Login Now