Daily AncestorOrder number
An order number on a World War I draft card is the man's place in the order of call, set for his registration by the national draft lottery.
Each World War I registration card carries two numbers assigned by the Selective Service System: a serial number and an order number. Local boards were charged with fixing both. Each of the three registrations had its own lottery; the first was drawn on July 20, 1917, and decided the order in which registered men would be examined and called.
The order number is not a military service number. A low number meant an early call, not proof of service: not every registrant served in the military.
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Daily Ancestor. "Order number." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/military/order-number. Last checked 2026-10-12.