There were actually three registrations for the World War I draft in the United States.
- The first started on 5 Jun 1917 for men ages 21-31 (see the card here)
- The second started on 5 Jun 1918 for men who turned 21 since the 1st registration (see the card here)
- The third started on 12 Sep 1918 for men ages 18-45 (see the card here)
The cards were different. The cards for the first and second registrations had a corner that was to be cut off if the registrant was of African descent. The second card asked for the place of birth of the registrant’s father. The third did not ask for marital status. There are other differences between them as well.
World War I First Draft Registration Card
World War I Second Draft Registration Card
World War I 3rd Draft Registration Card
One response
My grandfather was too young to be drafted, so he lied about his age to get in. He was 19 years old when he enlisted on April 13, 1918. I have his paperwork from the NPRC in St. Louis. Yes, his info was NOT burned up in that massive fire they had. What’s interesting is that the official records list his correct birthdate of January 12, 1899. So, I guess they just let him in anyway.