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Drake tags

The dog tag worn by Private Drake.[1]

A dog tag is the informal name given to the identification tags worn by military personnel such as the Colonial Marines, given their resemblance to actual dog tags often worn by pets. The tag is primarily used for the identification of dead and wounded personnel and carries basic information such as rank, name and ID number.[2] They are a collectible item in the video game Aliens: Colonial Marines.

History[]

1987[]

Main article: 1987
Hopper's tag

Dutch holding Hopper's tag.

In 1987, after Jim Hopper's team was skinned by the Yautja known as the Jungle Hunter, Hopper's dog tags were used by Alan "Dutch" Schaefer to identify the men.

1997[]

Main article: 1997

In 1997, when the Yautja Greyback encountered Mike Harrigan aboard the Los Angeles hunting party's Mother Ship, he wore dog tags, presumably taken from one his victims, around his neck.

2010[]

Main article: 2010

In 2010, IDF sniper Isabelle used an Israeli dog tag,[3][4] which is designed to be broken in two, when she was abducted and brought to the Game Preserve Planet by Super Predators.

2137[]

Main article: 2137

In 2137, Sevastopol Station resident Axel wore dog tags.

2179[]

Main article: 2179

By 2179, the United States Colonial Marine Corps utilized clear dog tags with the rank, name and ID number of Colonial Marines (for example, "Cpl. D. HICKS A27/TQ4.0.48215E9").[2][5]

Behind the scenes[]

PP dog tags

Two prototype dog tags.[6]

Before settling on the final dog tag design during preproduction for Aliens, a design with a more rounded edge on the side with the hole for the chain was considered, and at least two of which were actually built as prototypes — Hicks' and Vasquez's.[6]

The dog tag props actually used in the film consisted of a thin[2] acrylic[1] square disc inscribed with the character's name and ID number attached to a ball chain necklace.[2]

Although each Marine has two dog tags on their necklace in the film, many dog tags were split up and sold separately to increase the dealer's profit.[7]

Merchandise[]

To promote Aliens: Colonial Marines, SEGA gave the website Terrorizer an Aliens: Colonial Marines Collector's Edition, an iPhone 4/4s case and a set of dog tags to give away in a contest.[8] The dog tags were also available as a pre-order bonus.[9]

HCG dog tags SDCC

The dog tag replicas on display.[10]

At San Diego Comic-Con 2014, Hollywood Collectibles Group had on display replicas of Bishop's, Hudson's, Drake's, Frost's and Gorman's dog tags from Aliens at their booth, with the sign next to them saying, "COMING SOON!"[10]

Trivia[]

  • Several of the dog tags in Aliens: Colonial Marines belong to the Marines from the film Aliens. However, in almost every case, these tags are found in locations where they could not possibly have ended up, given the events of the film.

Appearances[]

Gallery[]

External links[]

References[]

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