Need Help translating Japanese Dog Tag

**byBen** · 12-14-2021, 11:40 PM

Hello,
Im pretty new to this forum so i hope i didnt forget anything if so let me know, i can always better myself

Anyway to my request: i could use some help translating this japanese dog tag, i would be interested in as much Information as possible, Unit, Battle history and why there is engraving on it instead of all stamping...

Thanks already, best regards.
- Ben

**ghp95134** · 12-14-2021, 11:57 PM

Someone will come along and make sense of this.

騎五 Cavalry 5
本 [本部?] HQ?
番八九 No. 89

-- Guy

**byBen** · 12-15-2021, 12:15 AM

wow ok there you go, thats a Start

Thanks Guy

Best regards.
- Ben

**Nick Komiya** · 12-15-2021, 11:00 AM

5th Cavalry Regiment, HQ Company, Personal Number 89.　The tag's stamping is pre-1940 style. Transformed into a reconnaissance regiment in 1940.

Read about IJA tags here.

**byBen** · 12-15-2021, 11:23 AM

So he was Part of the 5th divisions, 5th cavalry regiment attached in 1937 to the Japanese army China garrison... Participating in the second sino japanese war... Thats super neat, im happy with that already... So im assuming he would have been issued a different tag in 1940 when the unit was transfomed into the 5th reconnaissance regiment???

Thank you very much.
BTW: the article you linked is really really good written, hats off to you.

- Ben

**Rod** · 12-15-2021, 04:10 PM

The 1940 tag would have referred to the 5th Cavalry Regt as "Koi" 鯉 5177.

**ghp95134** · 12-15-2021, 07:14 PM

by Rod

The 1940 tag would have referred to the 5th Cavalry Regt as "Koi" 鯉 5177.

Ben .... 鯉 koi means carp in English; there is no way to tell the 1940 unit was cavalry. Today we call that "OPSEC" - Operations Security - denying the enemy of critical information.

-- Guy

**byBen** · 12-15-2021, 10:02 PM

Guy, yes you are correct... i think Rod meant that the EX 5th cavalry regt. that was renamed 5th reconnaissance regt. would have after 1940 the code "5177"...

Good eye catching that, to be honest i didnt even notice before you just brought it up...
I will surely ask you guys again on the next one

- Ben

**Rod** · 12-15-2021, 11:49 PM

One day you may find a tag that has "鯉 5177" on the right hand side. That will indicate you have a 5th Reconnaissance Regiment tag.

"Koi" is the code name for the entire 5th Division. Every constituent unit in an organization that's brigade sized or greater uses the parent unit's code name, but has its own unique number.