Arkansas, Second Registration Draft Cards - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The Arkansas, Second Registration Draft Cards, 1948-1958 consists of 4x6 cards (form SSS-1) from the Selective Service System. The cards are arranged numerically by local board number, then alphabetically by surname of registrant. Second registration cards were created for men born between 1922 and 1940. The information on the cards includes the registrant’s serial number, name, his residence, mailing, address, phone number, birth date, birth place, name of employer, address of employment, his height, weight, race, hair color, eye color, distinguishing marks, his signature, and the name and address of a person who would always know the registrant’s address. The cards are part of Record Group 147

The collection was located at the National Archives and Records Administration Southwest region in Fort Worth Texas. They are now located at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. 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.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Registration cards
 * Name
 * Birth date
 * Birthplace (lists town or county and state or country
 * Residence
 * Mailing address
 * Name and address of the person who will always know the registrant’s address
 * Occupation
 * Employer’s name and address
 * Marital status
 * Physical description
 * Race

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person
 * The birth date or place of birth

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?
Whenever possible, view the original records to verify the information and to find additional information that might not be reported. These pieces of information can lead you to additional records and family members.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the person's name and place of birth to find a birth certificate
 * Use the country of citizenship to lead you to immigration or naturalization records
 * Use the person’s age and residence to find family in census, church, and land records
 * Use the marital information to find marriage records. Witnesses were often family members
 * 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 the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names, or even initials
 * Immigrant first names may be in their native language
 * Search the records of nearby localities

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.