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BUREAU OF NAVIGATION CIRCULAR LETTER NO. 83-43

R-1105 -- Identification Tags and Cable

Pers 23 H A, P1-5(b), 26 May 1943

ACTION: ALL SHIPS AND STATIONS

(Ref.: (a) BuPers Circ. Ltr No. 57-41 (Corrected)

(b) BuPers Circ. Ltr No. 152-41 (Corrected)

(c) BuPers Circ. Ltr No. 17-43

(d) VCNO ltr. File Op13C-jc, serial 102913, dated 18 May 1943

1. References (a), (b), and (c) are hereby canceled. All current instructions regarding identification tags are contained in reference (d), and this letter.

2. The advance change to article 140, Navy regulations 1920, promulgated by reference (d), requires the wearing of two identification tags by all naval personnel and specifies the data to be placed on the tag. The single tag now being worn will be retained as one of the two tags required.

3. All tags now being manufactured are 17 percent chrome steel. Whenever possible the graphotype machine should be used for placing data on the identification tag. In case of emergency the chrome steel tag may be etched by using a mixture of three parts hydrochloric acid and one part nitric acid. The acids should be mixed straight with no water added. The data should be written on the tag, using printers ink thinned as necessary with turpentine; while still wet, cover with powder asphaltum, remove surplus asphaltum and heat over flame of alcohol lamp until writing becomes glossy. Dip tag while hot in acid bath for about two minutes. Care must be exercised to prevent inhaling the fumes from the hydrochloric and nitric acids, and avoid having the acid spatter on the hands.

4. Suspension cables providing attachment for two tags are now under manufacture and will be available for issue in the near future.

Sources of supply for both tags and cables are Naval Supply Depot, Bayonne, N.J., and Naval Supply Depot, Oakland, California. Requisitions for the material should be limited to actual requirements. -

BuPers. L.E. Denfeld.

[END]
Published: Tue Jan 24 12:08:27 EST 2017