Identity disk?

[Ron C.]

I think that this is a Japanese identity disk, but do not know what it says. Could someone please translate it for me? I do not know what the little bag is, but the disk was in it when the vet gave it to me.

Thanks,
Ron

[cbuehler]

The bag has the surname Kimura with the katakana letter for "I" above ( an abbreviation ). The dog tag is good and it is all in code numbers and kanji. I have heard that there are some in Japan who may have access to these unit codes, but here in the US it is impossible.
Before the war, dogtags usually had the name and regimental number of the soldier. Officers usually continued to do this and even sometimes had their rank on the tag, but it seems enlisted soldiers were switched to using these coded tags for the most part during the war which unfortunately makes researching them a wash out in many cases.

CB

[Nick Komiya]

In this case, the company was "Kaki" 655517 and the solidier's personal number is 234. I suppose Kaki was the first character of the name of the company commander. Officer versions would normally show their unit and name

[cbuehler]

Actually the unit abbreviations, in this case "kaki", referred to larger entities of regiment size. I was told that they were just codes and not part of the commanders name, although Nick could be correct in some cases.

CB

[Nick Komiya]

Unfortunately, the Japanese Army didn't have a consistent system for what info to place on tags and this varied between units and depending on when the tag was struck. But if we were to assume that "kaki" was the unit code, we are talking about the 16th Inft Div. At least looking up the Divisional code names used later in the war is a no-brainer. Here's the Wikipedia page with unit history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_Di...panese_Army%29

[peleliuexplorer]

What unit was the vet in and where did he serve? I have an identity disc that I found on a skeleton in the Central Pacific Island of Saipan. No way to track the Code....unless you have ties to folks at the Yasakuni Shrine.

I got nowhere with mine. I wanted to return to family in Japan but authorities not interested.

-Eric

[Ron C.]

What unit was the vet in and where did he serve?
-Eric

Eric,

I assume this question is directed to me. Unfortunately, I can't answer that question. I got it very many years ago, and I do not remember anything about the vet. In fact I only know that it came from a vet, because I never got Japanese things from any source other than vets. I had records of what I got from who; however, most of those were destroyed in a house fire in late 1986.

Ron

[Nick Komiya]

While doing my own research, I found the code list. Now I can tell you that kaki 6555 denoted the 20th Inft Regt.

[peleliuexplorer]

While doing my own research, I found the code list. Now I can tell you that kaki 6555 denoted the 20th Inft Regt.

Hi Nick,

Where did you find a code list! Can you look up the code for Saipan and Peleliu for me?

Thanks! Eric

[Ron C.]

While doing my own research, I found the code list. Now I can tell you that kaki 6555 denoted the 20th Inft Regt.

Thank you Nick.

Ron

[Nick Komiya]

Hi Nick,

Where did you find a code list! Can you look up the code for Saipan and Peleliu for me?

Thanks! Eric

I'll see if I can help if you give me the Japanese coded unit designations

[peleliuexplorer]

I'll see if I can help if you give me the Japanese coded unit designations

Hi Nick,

The first identity disc has the number 7746 and the second has 11934 .

Hope you can decipher those codes!

Thanks, Eric

[Edokko]

Eric, are any of the numbers preceded by a single Kanji ? If so, that Kanji is needed since it's very important to ID the regiment.

[Nick Komiya]

If 7746 is preceded by the Kanji "Sho", the first character for Showa, then it's the 2nd Inft Regiment of the 14th Division. I couldn't find any match with 11934, but if you give me the Kanji in front, I can at least give you the Division.

[Stu W]

Another with similar markings

Hi guys,

Just came across this thread. I have a tag that I have been trying to research. It was brought back to the US in 1945, from the Philippines, by a returning USMC member. I have decided to add it to this thread as there are some similarities with Ron's. From various sources I have assembled this info...

14th Area Army (Under overall command of Lieutenant General Homma.)
35th Army
16th Infantry Division (Referred to as the Wall Division.)
20th Infantry Regiment
2nd Battalion
25th Company
6555th Unit
120th Soldier

Anyone else have input here? Am I close to being correct? I'm wondering if the Unit and individual soldier number may not be reversed. It's an interesting little puzzle and any information no matter how small is appreciated. It all helps unravel the mystery.

Regards to all,
Stu