This page Service number (United States armed forces) has a list, with the heading "Service numbers have also been mentioned in films and other media. Some examples include:" I added to that list a quote from a television show, the quote was: Gibbs: "Corporal Yost! Serial number!" Ernie Yost: "3-3-0-0-9-0, *sir*!"
The number is correct as a WWII era Enlisted Marine Service Number, but I've not done research to tell whose number it is. I did however show a third party reference to the quote, (IMDB)
But IMDB quotes more than these two lines of dialog in the scene. I felt it was better form to preface them with "In the television series NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Episode "Call of Silence"(Season 2, Ep 7) Gibbs asks Kate to find the service record for a US Marine from World War II. When she asks for his Social Security Number, she is told that they weren't used for serial numbers when he served, to prove his point Gibbs shouts across the room to the Marine in question;"
I felt that the entire passage was appropriate for this article, as it illustrates that 1) service members had to memorize their number, and would remember them 60+ year later 2) the service number from that era was not the SSN as it is now, a fact mentioned in the first line of this article. 3) it is a service number mentioned in media, as were all four items in the list above. 4) without listing the 15 lines of dialog in the IMDB quote, it more accurately described the scene for those who may be unfamiliar with the series.
A day after I made the entry, it is reverted with the only note being "seems to be more about SSNs" This section could have been edited down, so as to not mention SSN, and still be accurate, but that was apparently out of the question.
I respectfully disagree with that judgment, and would like to ask when may I make a contribution that won't be summarily removed? Shall I ask permission for each or is this really the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit?