Delaware, World War II Draft Registration Cards - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States Delaware

What is in the Collection?
The collection consists of a name index and images of draft registration cards of men who registered during World War II with the exception of the Fourth Registration (see General Information below). It covers the years 1940 to 1945 and includes information of young men aged 18-44. The event place is the home of the registrant. This collection is part of the National Archives Records Administration’s (NARA) [https://www.archives.gov/san-francisco/finding-aids/holdings-guide-05.html#147 Records of the Selective Service System. 1940– Record Group 147]: Records of the Selective Service. Images are courtesy of Ancestry.com($).

General Information About Draft Registration Cards
 * The Selective Service Act of 1940 required that men between the ages of 21–36 register for the draft. This was the United States' first peacetime draft. The draft was run like a lottery with those chosen required to serve for 12 months.
 * During the summer of 1941, the draft was extended for all men who had reached their 18th birthday up to those who had not yet reached the 45th birthday—up until the day before their 45th birthday. The length of service was also extended to 18 months, but could be extended further if national security required.
 * In December of 1941, after the United States had entered World War II, the draft was again extended. All men ages 22–44 became responsible for service in the military and all men ages 18–64 were required to register for the draft. Time of service was extended to six months after the war ended. This draft registration, called the Fourth Registration, or Old Man’s Registration, was held on April 27, 1942. The purpose of this registration was to collect information on industrial capacity and skills of men who were born between April 27, 1877 and February 16, 1897 (ages 45 to 64). This draft registration was not intended to be used for military service but to provide a complete inventory of manpower resources in the United States that could be utilized for national service during World War II.
 * Draft registration cards were filled out at the registrant’s home and then mailed to the Selective Service Board.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Draft registrations may contain the following information:


 * Name
 * Residence
 * Mailing address
 * Telephone number
 * Age
 * Birth place and date
 * Name and address of person who will always know your address
 * Employer's name and address
 * Address of employment or business
 * Registrant's signature
 * Race
 * Physical description
 * Local board number, city, county and state
 * Registrar's signature
 * Date of registration

Sample Images
Click on the image for a larger view.

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * The name of your ancestor
 * The residence of your ancestor
 * The birth date and age of your ancestor at the time of registration
 * The names of other family members and their relationships

View the Images
You will be able to search this collection once it is published.

View images in this collection by visiting the  Select Surname Range

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.

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors.

I Found Who I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the person's name and place of birth to find a birth certificate which should list the names of the parents.
 * Use the person’s age and residence to find family in census, church, and land records.
 * Use the marital and birth information to find marriage and birth records.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify siblings and other relatives who may also have registered for the draft.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the records of nearby localities.

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

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