As predicted in this newsletter on May 19, Ancestry.com has now created a new online database collection of World War II Draft Cards. Be aware, however, that this new online collection is not all the draft registration cards, only a subset.
Several draft registrations were conducted after President Roosevelt signed into law the first peacetime selective service draft in U.S. history in October 1940. The only registration that has been released to the public is the fourth registration, popularly called the "old man's registration." The fourth registration was conducted on 27 April 1942 and registered men who were born on or between 28 April 1877 and 16 February 1897 - men who were then between 45 and 64 years old and who were not already in the military. Earlier registrations had been conducted for younger men.
The new online database is an indexed collection of the draft cards from the Fourth Registration. Information available on the draft cards includes:
- Name of registrant
- Age
- Birth date
- Birthplace
- Residence
- Employer information
- Name and address of person who would always know the registrant's whereabouts
- Physical description of registrant (race, height, weight, eye and hair colors, complexion)
Additional information such as mailing address (if different from residence address), serial number, order number, and board registration information may also be available.
This database currently contains draft cards only for the following states and territories:
Arkansas
Connecticut
Delaware
Indiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Puerto Rico
Rhode Island
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia
Each state's National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Regional Branch holds teh original draft cards. All of these cards are also available on microfilm from the Family History Library (FHL) and/or NARA.
You must be a paid subscriber to Ancestry.com's U.S. Membership or World Membership services in order to access this database.
For more information about Ancestry.com's online database of the Fourth Registration Draft Cards, go to http://landing.ancestry.com/military/vday/world.aspx. The database itself is available at: http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1002&o_iid=24436&o_lid=24436&o_it=21416
