Ancestry Content Special Update: Complete WWI Draft Card Collection

Complete US WWI Draft Registration Card Collection!

Largest Number of Images Released on A.com Ever!

Search New WWII Enlistment and POW Records!

WWI Draft Card Collection Key Features:

· WWI Draft Registration Card collection offers over 24 million images – more than all the US Census images combined!

· 24 million searchable names

· 584,197 man hours dedicated to keying

· Over 1,752,593,032 keyed characters

· So far today, the WWI database peak hourly usage is over 5 times higher than the top hourly usage so far this month. Usage is still on the increase.

History of the WWI Draft Registration Card Project:

Bringing the complete WWI Draft Registration Card collection to the world has not been a simple task. The project was initiated 3 ½ years ago and has suffered significant delays as our team diligently worked to overcome a number of hurdles.

Many of the original images were difficult, if not impossible, to view. To provide a more valuable database, many of the illegible originals were re-imaged to produce higher quality results. The difference is amazing.

Who will you find in the WWI Draft Card collection?

· Babe Ruth (George Herman Ruth) – Listed work address as Fenway Park

· Norman Rockwell – Registered in New Rochelle, NY

· e e cummings (Edward Cummings) – Registered while a student in Cambridge, MA

· Adolph Coors (Adolph Coors Jr.) – Lists pottery company as employer

How are WWI Draft Cards Useful?

· Draft cards are particularly useful because they represent everyone that registered for the draft, including many that never served in the military

· 98% of men under the age of 46 in the U.S. completed a registration card in 1917 and 1918, representing 25% of the total population and 24 million men

· 1880 - 1920 was a high immigration period – information on many immigrants are captured on the draft cards

Additional Military Databases Available Today:

· U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946

· Contains information on roughly 8.3 million men and women who enlisted in WWII

· Includes Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps

· World War II Prisoners of War, 1941-1946

· Contains information on roughly 140,000 U.S. officers and soldiers

· Includes some U.S. and Allied civilians who were prisoners of war

· WWI, WWII and Korean War Casualty Listings

· American Battle Monument records from WWI, WWII and Korean War Listings

· Contains listing of casualties buried at over twenty-four cemeteries around the world including those reported Missing in Action

Interesting Facts about Veteran’s Day:

· On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November, 1918, an armistice between the Allies and Germany was implemented to end WWI (the final peace treaty was signed in 1919)

· November 11, 1919, President Wilson proclaims the first Armistice Day

· 1941-1953, WWII and the Korean War create millions of additional war veterans in addition to those of WWI already honored by Armistice Day

· June 1, 1954, President Eisenhower signs legislation changing the name of the legal holiday to Veteran’s Day

· 1968, because of the Monday Holiday Law, the fourth Monday in October was established as the new date for observance of Veteran’s Day

· Despite the Federal observance on the fourth Monday of October, 46 states maintained their observance on November 11th

· 1978, the law took effect and Veteran’s Day observance reverted to November 11

Other sources of interesting information:

· Dick Eastman announcement in 2002: http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=6059

· Additional Veteran’s Day Links: http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=2892