Howard Oliver USA medal?

[MackDigger]

Ok I'm totally stumped on this but also very intrigued. Found deep at an old dump site. Its a little bigger then a half dollar and It's not very heavy. It rang up in the 70-80s on the AT pro. That's all the info I have at the moment. Any guesses or feedback of any kind is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[DCMatt]

WWI or early WWII dog tag?

 

[MackDigger]

That's awesome! Maybe I can find the fam. What do you think all the X's are for? Kills maybe (morbid I know)? I also came to find while researching he shares the name of a civil war general. What a cool find!

 

[DCMatt]

Where did you find it? City & state...

I'll help research.

 

[MackDigger]

Wilkes barre pa

 

[DCMatt]

I'm guessing the x's are to remove regimental and company information. I recall reading that they stopped putting that on dog tags at some point.

 

[MackDigger]

Thanks!

 

[MackDigger]

Do your know if the first name was usually printed first or last? Being that he has two first names it could be either way.

 

[DCMatt]

What are the numbers on the back? Hard to read from the pic...

 

[MackDigger]

I may have found where he was buried. No contacts for family though. If it's him he died in 1930.

 

[MackDigger]

Looks like 574445 to me

 

[MackDigger]

Is it possible he is a descendent of the civil war general? Probably not but it's just a thought.

 

[DCMatt]

If it's aluminum it is likely WWI. Some time before WWII they switched to copper/bronze alloy but still circular.


I think they switched to rectangular fairly early in WWII.


Here is another tag with info XXX'd out:

 

[DCMatt]

My brother found a similar tag (eyeballed) on a beach near Pearl Harbor.


He had enlisted in early '41 when they first called for volunteers.


We were able to find the guy's grave up in New England somewhere.


He died in the early 90's. No next of kin listed.


His tag is the copper/bronze alloy.

 

[MackDigger]

Aluminum makes perfect sense because the one I found is very light.

 

[DCMatt]

Def WWI tag.

June 1918 regulation that required all unit, organization and enlisted men’s rank to be removed.

 

[DCMatt]

 

[MackDigger]

Any luck finding more info on him?

 

[DCMatt]

Any luck finding more info on him?

Nothing. That low service number has to be WWI and records I can access are sketchy.


I did find a Howard G. Oliver b. 1903 who enlisted in the Army in '42.


He was from Phili. Discharged after 3 months.


Also Oliver J. Howard age 22 enlisted at Wilkes Barre in '42.


But this is a WWI tag... So, not him.


Any chance you can read the letters under the X's?


That would give his regiment and company designation.

 

[MackDigger]

I can try but it's going to be tough