Louisiana First Registration Draft Cards - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Louisiana

What is in the Collection?
The collection consists of images of "Draft Registration Cards for Louisiana, 1940 to 1945." The cards are arranged numerically by local board number, then alphabetically by surname of registrant. The 4x6 cards (SSS-1 forms) cover 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.

After the United States entered World War I, a Selective Service Act required that all men between the ages of 18 and 64 register for the draft. The local draft board of the Selective Service System conducted the registration. The original registration cards were later sent to the regional branch of the National Archives responsible for receiving records from that state

While the cards are part of a record group created between 1940 and 1945, they pertain to men born between February 17, 1897 and 1928.

The purpose of this registration was to collect information on the industrial capacity and skills of men who were born between February 17, 1897 and 1928. This draft registration was intended to provide a complete inventory of manpower resources in the United States that could be utilized for national service.

Information on the cards was supplied by the individual but recorded by a registrar. While there was a chance of a recording error, each individual signed his card to attest that the information was correct.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Information on the registration cards includes:


 * Registrant's full name
 * Registrant's age
 * Birth date
 * Birth place
 * Residence
 * Name and address of person who will always know registrant’s address
 * Employer’s name and address
 * Physical description
 * Race

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. To begin your search, it is helpful to know:
 * The name and or birth date of your ancestor.
 * The residence or name of a family member

View the Images
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 * 1) Select Surname Range

How Do I Analyze the Results?
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What Do I Do Next?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information and to find additional information.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Copy the citation below, in case you need to find this record again later.
 * Use the information found in the record to locate the death record. (Only keep this sentence if the collection is obituaries or cemetery records/funeral homes)
 * Use the age or estimated birth date to determine an approximate birth date to find other church and vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find land, probate and immigration records.
 * Use the occupation to locate business or employment records.
 * Use the race and residence to locate ethnic and specialized records such as Indian censuses and school records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in censuses.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.
 * Church Records were kept years before counties began keeping records. They are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

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

 * Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. You could get a copy of the original record from the National Archives and Records Administration, Southwest Region, Fort Worth, Texas.
 * 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 records of a nearby town or county.
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
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Known Issues with This Collection
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Citing this Collection
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