{"id":26505,"date":"2017-11-02T10:36:24","date_gmt":"2017-11-02T14:36:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=26505"},"modified":"2022-09-15T12:59:37","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T16:59:37","slug":"genealogy-101-learning-more-about-world-war-ii-draft-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/genealogy-101-learning-more-about-world-war-ii-draft-records.html","title":{"rendered":"Genealogy 101: Learning More about World War II Draft Records"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: In this article \u2013 part of an ongoing \u201cIntroduction to Genealogy\u201d series \u2013 Gena Philibert-Ortega describes the family history information contained in WWII draft registration cards \u2013 and where these cards can be found online. Gena is a genealogist and author of the book \u201cFrom the Family Kitchen.<\/span>\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The World War I Draft Registration is a familiar record set for most family historians, but it is not the only military draft registration available to researchers. Enacted in October 1940, over a year before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States initiated a draft as tensions rose worldwide. The World War II draft registrations numbered six in total, but not all of those registrations are available to us \u2013 so it\u2019s important to understand what is available and the information draft cards provide.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), 16 October 1940, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The caption for the above photograph reads:<\/p>\n

\u201cPatricia Robertson (left) and Elizabeth Sandoz, Newcomb college seniors and two of the scores of volunteer registrars who will serve today at selective service registration booths, look over the blank forms they will fill out for registrants. Lieutenant J. R. McCormick, U. S. N., of the Tulane Naval R. O. T. C. stands beside them.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

World War II Draft<\/strong><\/p>\n

On 16 October 1940 some 16,500,000 men across the United States showed up to their local draft registration board to \u201canswer a series of 11 questions, sign their names and await the results of a lottery that will determine which of them must spend a year in military camps. All men between 21 and 35 years old, inclusive must register.\u201d<\/p>\n

Questions asked included \u201cname, address, telephone number, age, place of birth, country of citizenship, name of person who will always know his address, his relationship to the latter, the address of the latter, his employer\u2019s name, and his place of employment or business.\u201d These double-sided draft registration cards also included questions about the registrant\u2019s description (height, weight, race, complexion, color of eyes and hair) as well as space to write in any other identifying characteristics.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Times-Picayune (New Orleans, Louisiana), 16 October 1940, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This draft was unique in that it was a peacetime draft done in anticipation of needing men for military service. From 1940, depending on a man\u2019s age, they would have been required to register at a specific time over the next six years. This information was printed in local newspapers, along with maps and addresses for the local Selective Service Board.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 26 April 1942, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A map showing \u201cthe city\u2019s Selective Service Board areas which will be served by registration centers tomorrow\u201d accompanied this article.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 26 April 1942, page 4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All men not currently serving in the military were registered, regardless of their citizenship status. After the incarceration of Japanese Americans in internment camps, they were also registered in subsequent drafts.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:<\/a>
Photo: WWII draft registration card for Kenji Watanabe. Source: \u201cUnited States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942,\u201d database with images, FamilySearch (https:\/\/familysearch.org\/ark:\/61903\/1:1:V48P-9VT : 8 April 2016), Kenji Watanabe, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe Old Man\u2019s Draft\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The fourth registration, more commonly known as \u201cThe Old Man\u2019s Draft,\u201d registered men between 45 and 64 years of age, with birthdates of 27 April 1877 to 16 February 1897. This registration was held on 27 April 1942 and was not meant to recruit men for military duty, but rather to ascertain manpower for national service.* \u00a0All men were registered no matter their civilian job. Even President Franklin D. Roosevelt and New York Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia filled out draft cards during the three-day registration of \u201coldsters.\u201d This San Diego newspaper article about the registration estimated that 13,000,000 men in total were registered during the fourth registration.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
San Diego Union (San Diego, California), 28 April 1942, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For family historians, \u201cThe Old Man\u2019s Draft\u201d is important because it is the only complete World War II draft registration available online. If a registration card is available for your ancestor, it can help you verify where your ancestor was in a specific place and time. You can also use this draft registration with your ancestor\u2019s World War I draft registration as you track his life. These \u201cold men\u201d would have filled out draft registration and\/or served during World War I.<\/p>\n

Accessing \u201cThe Old Man\u2019s Draft\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Researchers have online access to almost all of \u201cThe Old Man\u2019s Draft.\u201d However, some of the draft cards were destroyed prior to microfilming. The state cards that were destroyed are:<\/p>\n