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    #16
    The info you have is possibily correct up to the Regiment, but I think the rest is wrong.
    This type of coding system was only used by the army and was introduced by a regulation dated Sept 10, 1940. Prior to that, on Sept 1, 1937, they introduced a system that used the name of the commander to hide the real identity, but this system collapsed when commanders got killed one after another. Anyway, the 1940 code system works like the Feldpost Number system the Germans used and when families wrote to the soldiers in the field this is the address they put on. So after the war, families only had these codes as a clue to try to locate missing husbands, fathers. The Ministry of Welfare, whatever they call themselves now held the full list and helped families trace those missing.
    The kanji prefix (in your case Kaki) was given to divisions and all components of that division shared that prefix. So for the 16th Div it went as follows.

    Kaki 6551 Reg HQ
    Kaki 6554 9th Inft Regt
    Kaki 6555 20th Inft Regt (as you see 6555 is the Regiment Number)
    Kaki 6556 33rd Inft Regt
    Kaki 6557 16th Recon Regt
    Kaki 6558 22nd Field Art Regt
    Kaki 6560 16th Pioneer Regt

    Now, according to the order of battle for late 1937, the 20th Regt consisted of 3 Battalions, with 4 Inft companies each, and though each had a MG company, there simply wasn't as many as 25 companies, so the interpretation of 25 in your example does not make sense to me. The 2nd Battalion did hold the 5th Company, so I thought that may be the answer, but if we apply it to the first tag it doesn't explain the 17, as the 7th company was also in the 2nd battalion.
    The short answer is that, at the moment I also don't know how the code worked after the Regiment number.

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      #17
      Nick, this is most enlightening! Do you have a list or anything that you could share with us to research our dogtags? Thanks!

      CB

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        #18
        I use a combination of several sites for my research, but they are all in Japanese, so you'll have to set up your computer to allow Japanese.
        Here's a site that is handy for these codes

        http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%88%...A7%B0%E5%8F%B7

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          #19
          I forgot to mention, "Kaki" is not a wall, but a fence, hedges or partition

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            #20
            Many thanks to Nick! Any of us that know how to use kanji, (even if in a rudimentary way like me) will find this list very usefull indeed!

            CB

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              #21
              Originally posted by Stu W View Post
              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.

              Regards to all,
              Stu
              Question: I don't think the Marines fought in the Philippines; perhaps occupational duty? Be interesting to find out the history of the dog tag!

              -Eric

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                #22
                Originally posted by Nick Komiya View Post
                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.
                Hi Nick,

                Thank you. This makes sense, since the identity disc was found on a skeleton on Peleliu. His personal number is 113 and there is a Kanji character above the personal ID....maybe "Sho"??

                The Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare would not help me track down the soldier's family. Now I'm lost and feel that I can never return this dog tag to any surviving family. What do you recommend?

                Thanks again, Eric

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                  #23
                  US Sixth Army

                  Originally posted by peleliuexplorer View Post
                  Question: I don't think the Marines fought in the Philippines; perhaps occupational duty? Be interesting to find out the history of the dog tag!

                  -Eric

                  Hi Eric,

                  You may be correct as all the info I have read shows that it was more likley a member of the 6th. I suspect the details have been lost to time.

                  Regards,
                  Stu

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                    #24
                    Originally posted by Nick Komiya View Post
                    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.
                    What does a "Show" Kanji look like?

                    Thanks guys, Eric

                    Comment


                      #25
                      Originally posted by peleliuexplorer View Post
                      Question: I don't think the Marines fought in the Philippines; perhaps occupational duty? Be interesting to find out the history of the dog tag!

                      -Eric
                      The I MAW (1st marine airwing) fought throughout the entire Philippine Lib. Campaign (which of course includes Leyte) and a Marine artillery brigade of approx. 2000 men detatched from the FMFPAC fought on Leyte only.
                      Additionally, a number of Marine Ships detatchment men spent some shore leave in the Philippines. Ample opportunity for some Gyrene to obtain things!

                      CB

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                        #26
                        Usmc.

                        Hi CB,

                        Thanks for that additional info.

                        Regards,
                        Stu

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                          #27
                          Originally posted by peleliuexplorer View Post
                          What does a "Show" Kanji look like?

                          Thanks guys, Eric
                          This link will spell out "sho" for you http://kakijun.main.jp/page/09100200.html
                          I have other means of breaking these unit codes, so I'll keep trying and let you guys know when I have more news.
                          By the way, the soldiers referred to the ID tags as "Tickets to Yasukuni", because when you surrender your tag that is when your spirit will be transported to the Yasukuni Shrine for the war dead. The next of kin actually did get a round trip ticket to Yasukuni.

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                            #28
                            Nick Komiya,

                            Can you tell me what unit coincides with the Code 3778? I have an identity disc with this number on it.

                            Thanks, Eric

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                              #29
                              "Shobu3770" was the 12th Heavy Artillery Regiment, which was a component of the 14th area army, ending up in Luzon. However the Shobu numbers don't seem to follow the 377X series and jump around, so unless I have the Kanji, unfortunately I cannot help further.

                              Comment


                                #30
                                Originally posted by Nick Komiya View Post
                                "Shobu3770" was the 12th Heavy Artillery Regiment, which was a component of the 14th area army, ending up in Luzon. However the Shobu numbers don't seem to follow the 377X series and jump around, so unless I have the Kanji, unfortunately I cannot help further.
                                Nick, it's 3778 not 3770 and showa. Many dog tags don't have Showa kanji. Thank you. Eric

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