Italian Dog Tag

[byBen]

Hello,
Could somebody maybe help me out with this Italian dog tag???? What does the address with (California) mean is it in the US or in Italy???? If anybody can do some research on the guy it belonged to would appreciate it aswell.

9374 (79) C
Barbero Giorgio
Di Leonello E
Longer Angeolina
Cl. 1918
S. Matteo
(California)

Also sorry if the picture is bad I don’t have a better one.

Best regards.
- Ben

[kanister]

(79) is the number of the Mondovì district (Piedmont, North Italy).
Barbero is a tipical family name from this zone.

[byBen]

Ok i see, so its not a US adress... I got confused with that California city / district on the tag guess that is or was in that area.

Thank you very much.
- Ben

[OldSteel]

Morning,
what kanister said is correct, but the place indicated on the plate is that of birth, I believe it actually refers to "San Mateo County", a place located in the San Francisco Bay area.
It is probably the son of an emigrant who later returned to Italy, a fact that often happened; for example: I own a dog tag mod. 32 of an Italian soldier born in Paris.

Regards
Roberto

[Kohima]

I, too, have such examples: a Great War Austrian tag with a UK address, and Wehrpass to a fella born in New York. These are interesting snippets of social history.
Nice find!

[byBen]

Kanister, Kohima and Roberto,
Thank you guys soo much you have no idea how happy that makes me… I also have a German ww1 tag with Swiss adress, I was hoping for exactly that US adress on Italian tag… amazing item.

I know know who to ask in Italian tags… so will probably ask again next time

Best regards.
- Ben

[byBen]

Extremely cool follow up:

I found his obituary which tells his story born in the US left and went back to Italy etc… thought I share it, it’s an amazing story.

Also maybe someone could tell me about the list that matches the numbers on the tags (like this 79) to a specific district in Italy?????

- Ben

[kanister]

Also maybe someone could tell me about the list that matches the numbers on the tags (like this 79) to a specific district in Italy?????