Abbreviation in Death Record L.O.D.

In the individual death record is the report of the summary court martial for the KIA. Circumstances of death "17 Jan. 45, 0200, Hill 470, Luzon P.I. Bayonetted thru chest. L.O.D. Body Recovered."

In this case the solder was at a regimental headquarters and apparently killed during an attack by infiltrators.

What is L.O.D?

 

Line of Duty.maybe, as opposed to an accidental death.

 

Even an accidental death can be Line of Duty. This would differentiate the death as one which occurred while on duty as opposed, for example, getting knifed in a bar fight. On duty implies one was where one was supposed to be when one was supposed to be. If one were 'off duty,' that is not on some assigned detail, and sleeping in one's tent when a runaway bulldozer levels the tent and kills him, the death is still LOD as he was not on some pass away from his unit area. It can be very convoluted sometimes. Combat deaths are generally noted as KIA or DOW. LOD implies a death which occurs under circumstances not related to combat but while where one was supposed to be. If someone goes starkers and guns down half his squad before someone pops him, the squad members deaths are LOD, the miscreant's death is not LOD.

TM20-205 Dictionary of United States Army Terms (1944)
Line of Duty – 1. authorized duty in service. 2.classification of all sickness, injury, or death, unless caused by individual fault or neglect, suffered by personnel in active military service of the United States.