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Draft registration card

A draft registration card is the form a man filled out when he registered for the World War I or World War II draft, giving his birth date, birthplace and address.

About 24 million men filled out World War I cards in three registrations: June 5, 1917, for men between 21 and 31; June 5, 1918, for men who had turned 21 since; and September 12, 1918, for ages 18 through 45. Cards give name, date and place of birth, race, citizenship, occupation, a physical description and signature.

Registering did not mean serving, and many soldiers never registered, so a card is not a service record. World War II had six registrations; those cards, held by the National Archives at St. Louis, record similar details.

As seen in a recordWorld War I draft registration card, June 5, 1917
Stanislaw Nowak; age 26; born May 3, 1891; alien; laborer
How to cite this page

Daily Ancestor. "Draft registration card." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/military/draft-registration-card. Last checked 2026-10-03.

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