WW2 maneuvers in Tn (Few finds today)

[Ronbo67]

My buddy and I went out today to search an old homestead we found last week by superimposing a late 1800's map over the area. Not much there today, but did get the padlock says patented August 17 1878 which was neat. On the way back out of the woods we decided to go through some woods where we have search before for WW2 items. TN had approx. 850,000 troops train on maneuvers through the state before they went to Germany, so we have found a lot of stuff from them the last couple of years. I got a 1936 wheat penny, a 1939 silver merc, a US Army spoon, a button, set of Dog tags (We always try to find the family though these guys got new ones reissued before they went overseas since they were in training) and 1 South Carolina Bus Token. had a great time as always HH everyone.

 

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[Mackaydon]

When did GI's stop getting a second set of tags? I've never heard that one.
Why would the government issue a second set of tags? Wasteful, if true.
Have you attempted to find Mr.Zimmerman or his next of kin and return the tags?
The five line notched tag (with the next of kin in line three) was issued only during the period Nov.41-July 43.
Don......

 

[dirtlooter]

pretty cool finds, would be happy with any of them

 

[Pointman]

When did GI's stop getting a second set of tags? I've never heard that one.
Why would the government issue a second set of tags? Wasteful, if true.
Have you attempted to find Mr.Zimmerman or his next of kin and return the tags?
The five line notched tag (with the next of kin in line three) was issued only during the period Nov.41-July 43.
Don......

We were supposedly supposed to be issued a second set when we went overseas, but it always stayed in my files. I think perhaps they were there in case you lost your original set and they weren't able to make more, or just to check a box in case there was an inspection so to speak. When I retired, the second set was given to me, but I always had the same ones since boot camp and never used them.

What I mean by inspection, I endured tons of them and was on the top receiving end of making sure we passed them and some of the things we had to do wasn't logical.

 

[Ronbo67]

Yes, we always try to find the family. The Govt. would give them a new set if they lost them (according to my grandfather who lost his). I have his now along with my other grandfathers, my dads, and my own. The area we were in was a maneuver from 1943.

 

[Ronbo67]

Thanks

 

[danimal03]

neat finds. since it is a slow Sunday morning for me and out of curiosity I googled Mary Zimmerman and Carlisle PA. I came across an obit (I assume it is her) and she seems to have passed away in 2011. According to the obit, she had two husbands. One was listed as "Lawson Zimmerman". Assuming this is her, maybe she married George's brother? and George listed her as next of kin?

I also ran George's service number in the Fold3 database and got only one hit. below is the cut and paste version. curiously it reports his enlistment as Dec 1945. I can only assume this is either a reenlistment date or some other date as the dogtag has his typhus shot as 1943. either way neat finds that I am sure tell a story from the Greatest Generation...

George R Zimmerman [SUP]1[/SUP] Level of Education: Grammar school [SUP]1[/SUP] Marital Status: Single, without dependents [SUP]1[/SUP] Birth: 1924 [SUP]1[/SUP] Pennsylvania [SUP]1[/SUP]
War II [SUP]1[/SUP] Branch: Army [SUP]1[/SUP] Enlistment Date: 06 Dec 1945 [SUP]1[/SUP] Army Branch: Medical Administrative Corps - For Officers only [SUP]1[/SUP] Army Component: Regular Army (including Officers, Nurses, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men) [SUP]1[/SUP] Army Serial Number: 33502965 [SUP]1[/SUP] Enlistment Place: Meadville Pennsylvania [SUP]1[/SUP] Enlistment Term: Enlistment for Hawaiian Department [SUP]1[/SUP] Source of Army Personnel: Enlisted Man, Philippine Scout or recall to AD of an enlisted man who had been transferred to the ERC [SUP]1[/SUP]

 

[thrillathahunt]

When did GI's stop getting a second set of tags? I've never heard that one.
Why would the government issue a second set of tags? Wasteful, if true.
Have you attempted to find Mr.Zimmerman or his next of kin and return the tags?
The five line notched tag (with the next of kin in line three) was issued only during the period Nov.41-July 43.
Don......

Don, yes WW2 servicemen were apparently issued two different sets of dog tags. I know this because I found one at a Texas training base, tracked his son down (he was a medic) and returned it. The son who was also a physician was very grateful and said he would add it to his father's "other" dog tag.

 

[Ronbo67]

Hey thanks for all the info danimal03. I really appreciate it. I shot the info to a friend who has ancestry.com and she will likely give me back the same info. We'll see if we can find him or his next of kin and see if they would like to have these.

 

[ks coyote]

You might try Angelo's Angels as they have helped me return a couple of WW2 tags to family members. Great bunch of volunteers. ( ww2tags.org )

 

[Ronbo67]

Thanks Ks coyote, my buddy told me about them. I will look them up.