Arkansas First Draft Registration Cards - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of index and images to draft registration cards (SSS-1 forms) covering a special classification of individuals born between 1897 and 1928.The collection was located at the NARA SW region in Fort Worth Texas. For additional information about this collection contact the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. The cards are part of Record Group 147: Records of the Selective Service System,1926-1975.Local Boards after shuffling the registration cards assigned a serial number to each card. Orders numbers were assigned by the date of birth of the registrant. Currently, the index records for this collection are incomplete. Additional records will be added as they are completed.


 * Selective Service. Arkansas State Headquarters Administrative History Note

Related Arkansas State Headquarters Records available from the National Archives

 * Classification Records for Arkansas, 10.16.19140-3.31.1927 NAID 2173095
 * Appeals of Classifications Sent to State Appeal Boards from Local Boards, 1940-1947 NAID 5031558
 * Appeals Received by State Headquarters for Review, 1940-1947 NAID 5031876
 * Appeals Based on Reasons Determined by Law, 1940-1947 NAID 5032145

For additional information about the registration cards and other records of the local boards,contact the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis. The cards are part of Record Group 147: Records of the Selective Service System,1926-1975: National Personnel Records Center

World War II Registrations

 * First Registration October 16, 1940: males ages 21 to 35 "within the continental United States"
 * Second Registration July 1, 1941: males "who had reached 21 sine the first registration"
 * Third Registration February 16, 1942: between the ages of 20 and 45 "who had not previously registered"
 * Fourth Registration April 27, 1942: between the4 ages of 45 and 65 "not eligible for military service" This registration is not included in this collection.
 * Fifth Registration June 30, 1942: between the ages of 18 and 20
 * Sixth Registration December 10-31, 1942: "those who reached the age of 18 after November 12, 1942"
 * Additional Registration between November 16 and December 31, 1943: "citizens living abroad between the ages of 18 and 45"

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Registrant’s Information may include:
 * Full Name
 * Address at time of registration
 * Age at registration
 * Date and place of birth
 * Country of Citizenship
 * Signature (on back of card)
 * Physical Description

Draft Card  may also contain:
 * Spouse’s Name (if married at time of registration)
 * Name of Father and/or Mother
 * Address of parents and/or spouse
 * Employer’s name and place of employment
 * Name of person who will always know registrant’s address (often parent, spouse or other relative)

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person
 * The names of the parents or spouse

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Surname Range to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
If these are indexes, the original records may contain additional information than was not indexed, or the information might have been indexed incorrectly. You may want to search for the original record at the [https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/147.html Selective Service System. National Archives and Records Administration, Southwest Region, Fort Worth, Texas].

I Found the Person I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the age or estimated birth date to find vital records such as birth, baptism, marriage, and death records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records
 * Search for death or burial information in BillionGraves Index or at Find A Grave
 * If applicable, search for immigration and naturalization records as well

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching a nearby locality
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Arkansas.
 * Arkansas Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1880-Present

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.