Campaign 'Tattoo the name of blood type on body' in the 50s

Adults and children wait in long queues for blood type tattoos on their left arm, becoming a mobile blood bank in case of emergency.

In the early 1950s the tatkuink clothing Operation Tat-type Program was deployed in Wyoming and Indiana, in order to provide timely and adequate blood donations to wounded soldiers after primitive attacks. death.

The "A-", "A+", "B-"... coin-sized tattoos on the body help medical staff to instantly identify the donor blood group, no need to waste time testing, promptly provide first aid to wounded soldiers.

Today, tattooing the name of a blood type on a person and putting a child on the list of people who will be called to donate blood at any time seems cruel and barbaric. But in the context of a serious shortage of blood in medical facilities, US intervention in the Korean War, and the Cold War approaching a critical period, Operation Tat-type was highly appreciated by some leaders. The image of adults and children queuing for their turn to be tested for blood type and then tattooed with their blood type name on their left arm became familiar.


Dr. Andrew Ivy, working at the American Medical Association, was the first to propose blood type tattoos on people in the US. He testified at numerous trials in Nuremberg after World War II and observed that some members of the Nazi guard had tattoos of their individual blood type names on them. He brought this idea with him to the US, as a way to deal with the rapidly dwindling blood supply caused by the Korean War.

In this way, if the Soviet Union decided to start hitting targets in the US, there would be a ready supply of blood to treat radiation patients after nuclear attacks.

As a member of the Chicago Medical Defense Committee, Andrew lobbied for the idea to be implemented in Chicago. Despite the full support of the Chicago Medical Association, the Medical Council, and some citizens of the state, the program was ultimately not implemented in Chicago.

In 1951, in Lake County, Indiana, 15,000 residents participated in tattooing, volunteering to be on the blood donation list, 60% of whom skull clothing chose to get permanent tattoos. The program received enthusiastic response, the Lake County Commission decided to expand the blood donation audience to children. With the consent of the family, the children will be tattooed at school. By 1955, Lake County had a total of 60,000 people of all ages with blood type tattoos on their bodies.

Despite knowing in advance, many children could not hide their anxiety and fear when standing in front of the medical room. In 1952, John MacGowan, a first grader at Lanier School, Indiana, shared his "tattooed" story in the Washington Post. He was one of the children participating in the Operation Tat-typed program at the time.