On the World War Draft Card you can find hidden gems of information. They are not the go to spot, but can provide much needed information if you know when to look and what you can find.
A little bit of history can
save you time and effort, then glean loads of information.
The draft card registration
is part of the selective service program of the United States Government, currently
by law only men are required to registered for selective service.
August 7, 1789, an act was
signed to establish the War Department as an executive branch of the Federal
Government.[i] Prior to 1861, each state/territory was responsible
for its own militia with very little Federal Government guidance. Requirements
for registering were lax, basically men ages 18-45 could enroll in their state
militia. There may be state records of militia, but really no organized
requirement for records was required.
The Civil War years – 1861 to
1865, with no organized draft process, the military went home to home in search
for eligible males to serve. [ii] The first draft system
was passed by Congress in 1917.
Selective Service Training
and Service Act, the first peace time draft law was signed in September 1940.
All men between ages 18 and 64 were to register for selective service. The act
only lasted until 1947.[iii] Then was re-enacted to
better delineate responsibilities and provide able bodies, eligible men for
military needs.
When researching the draft card
for you relative, one of the first things to identify would be
Is my relative required to
register for the draft? Your relative may have been too young or old for the
draft of their era. Here are the ages for drafts.
|
Draft |
Years |
Born Between |
|
WWI |
1917-1918 |
September 11, 1872 and September
12, 1900 |
|
WWII |
1940 – 1947 |
1896 – 1929 (44 years old in 1940 and 18 years old in 1947) |
|
Old Man’s Registration (WWII) |
|
Born between April 28,
1877 and February 16, 1897 |
Once you verify that your relative would have
a draft card, you can start looking.
What types of information can be found on a draft card?[iv] There are seven types of
information that you will find on the card, typically in your relatives own
handwriting. There are:
1. A physical description – height, weight, build, eye color, hair color, complexion may be found and interesting, especially if it is a person you have never meet.
Four other pieces of information
that is included on the draft card, may lead to hints of where to look next or
confirm a suspected tidbit of information.
2. Residence
3. Name of Address of nearest relative or person who will always know your address
4. Name and address of Employer and occupation
5. Citizenship
The other two bits of information
on a draft card will augment, verify your ancestor’s information.
6. Name
7. Date of Birth
Enjoy the thrill of the
hunt, as you glean the information on this little used hidden gem.
[i]
https://catalog.archives.gov/id/10450628#:~:text=Administrative%20History%20Note%3A,was%20the%20Secretary%20of%20War.
[ii]
https://www.sss.gov/history-and-records/timeline/
[iii]
ditto
[iv]
Source: https://family-tree-advice.blogspot.com/2022/04/draft.html?utm_source=FYFTemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=draft&utm_term=2022-04-19
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