How WWII draft records were created
WWI draft registration records were created during World War II. A Selective Service Act required men age 18–64 to register at their local draft board.[1]
These are the WWII draft registration dates and ages of registrants for each one:
- 16 Oct 1940: Men age 21–36
- 1 July 1941: Men who had turned 21 since the first registration
- 16 Feb 1942: Men age 20–45 who hadn’t already registered
- 27 April 1942: Men age 45–64 (this Fourth Registration or “Old Man's Draft” was meant to gather information on manpower)
- 30 June 1942: Men age 18–20
- 10–31 Dec 1942: Men age 18 who weren’t already registered
- 16 Nov–31 Dec 1943: Men age 18–44 who lived abroad[2]
How to know if your relative has a WWI draft record
Look for a WWII draft registration record for each male relative who fell into the age group listed for one of the registration dates above. You can use the man’s birth date to determine his age on each registration date. This age calculator can help.
Note that men who were already in the military at the time would not have registered for the draft.
The Old Man’s Draft records for these states have been destroyed:
- Alabama
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee[3]
Information in WWII draft records
When men registered for the draft, the registrar asked them questions and recorded the answers on cards. The information on the cards may include:
- Serial number assigned by Selective Service System
- Name
- Place of residence
- Mailing address
- Age
- Birth date
- Birthplace
- Occupation
- Phone number
- Name and address of person who will always know the registrant’s address
- Employer’s name and address
- Race
- Physical description (height, weight, hair and eye color, complexion, identifying marks)
- Signature of registrant
- Date and place of registration
- Registrar’s signature[3]
How to find WWII draft records
Search online: Search some WWII draft records for Louisiana, Kansas, Georgia, and Arkansas in the MyHeritage Draft, Enlistment, & Service collection.
The 1942 Old Man’s Draft registration records are available at FamilySearch.
Search on microfilm: National Archives and Records Administration Record Group 147, Records of the Selective Service System, 1940-, is available on microfilm at some genealogy libraries. (You will need to know which registration, as well as the state and county or city of registration.) [1]
Order copies from the National Archives at St. Louis: The Selective Service Records finding aid has ordering instructions and a link to a request form. A service fee will apply. [1]
See also
How to research military records
Explore more
MyHeritage Draft, Enlistment, & Service Collection
Research your ancestors on MyHeritage
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/selective-service#wwii
- ↑ https://familytreemagazine.com/records/military/using-wwii-draft-cards/
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/United_States,_World_War_II_Draft_Registration_Cards_-_FamilySearch_Historical_Records