Of the global conflicts that marked the twentieth century, perhaps none affected so deeply the lives of Americans as the Second World War. As time marches farther from that war, our families and we are in danger of forgetting the price our grandfathers and great-grandfathers paid defending the freedoms we enjoy. As family historians, it’s our job to not let them forget.

The Old Man’s Draft
In October 1940, over a year before the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the United States into the war, the increasing world conflicts led President Roosevelt to sign into law the United States’ first peacetime selective service draft. After the United States entered the war, a new selective service act required that all men between ages 18 and 65 register for the draft. Between November 1940 and October 1946, more than 10 million American men registered for the draft.

The Fourth Registration, conducted on 27 April 1942, registered men who were not already in the military and who were born on or between 28 April 1877 and 16 February 1897--men ages 45 to 64.

The “Old Man’s Registration,” as it came to be known, is the only World War Two registration currently available to the public (for privacy reasons). It contains one third of the total registrations collected during all of the World War Two drafts--registrations for 3,385,693 men from 13 states.

Clues to Life
The registration questions must have seemed somewhat intrusive, asking that each registrant provide his:

• Name,
• Age, including birth date and place,
• Current residence and employer,
• Physical description, specifically race, height, weight, eye and hair colors, and complexion.

Each registrant was also required to give the name and address of a person who would always know his whereabouts.

But however invasive these questions seemed, the registrant’s answers are a treasure trove of information for family historians. To possess one of these cards would be a privilege. That’s why Ancestry.com has just added all of the more than 3 million names and draft card images from the “Old Man’s Registration” to the World War Two records already contained in the online Military Collection.

Uncovering Their Legacy
The first step to finding your family in these draft cards is to create a list of men in your family tree who were born between 28 April 1877 and 16 February 1897. Don’t let the 13-state limit scare you—you never know where some of your family members will turn up.

Next go to the World War Two Draft Cards search screen, search for each man individually, making sure you enter any information you know about him. When you find your family member, print a copy for yourself and save the record to your My Ancestry tab so that Ancestry.com can search for more information about him. (See “Saving Time and Ancestors on Ancestry.com” for more information.) Then add the information you discover to your family tree.

If you can’t find a family member in the draft cards (or even if you do find him), try searching for him in the following World War Two records:

• World War Two Prisoners of War, 1941-1946--Details on approximately 140,000 U.S. officers and soldiers who were prisoners of war (POWs) during World War Two.
• U.S. World War Two Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946--Information on about 8.3 million men and women who enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War Two.
• World War One, World War Two, and Korean War Casualty Listings--Information on casualties, including those reported as Missing in Action, buried at non-U.S. cemeteries, from World War One, World War Two, Korea, and Vietnam.
• World War Two and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas--Listing of American servicemen who fought in World War Two or Korea and were interred outside of the contiguous 48 states.

Also consider searching for the same men in the World War One draft cards. In 1917 and 1918, almost 24 million men born between 1873 and 1900 registered for the World War One draft. Thus the men on your World War Two list likely registered for the World War One drafts. All of the World War One draft cards are available on Ancestry.com.

Share the Legacy
Once you’ve found your ancestor’s draft card, ask other family members whether he was called into service. If he did serve, perhaps you have his uniform or medal of honor. Maybe someone saved letters he sent home from the battlefront, newspaper clippings from his return, or photographs of him taken during his tour--or of a memorial or grave if he didn’t return.

Together these items create a real, tangible legacy that you can pass to your children and grandchildren. We should never forget those who sacrificed so much in our behalf. Your ancestors’ stories are waiting. Ancestry.com can help you discover them.

Anastasia Sutherland Tyler is editor of the Ancestry Monthly newsletter and associate editor of Ancestry Magazine. She can be reached at AMUeditor@ancestry.com, but regrets that she cannot assist with personal research questions.