The Old Man's Draft or Old Man's Registration is the colloquial term for the fourth

Selective Service The Selective Service System (SSS) is an independent agency of the United States government that maintains information on U.S. citizens and other U.S. residents potentially subject to military conscription (i.e., the draft) and carries out contin ...

registration sequence held in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, in April 1942.

History

The first peacetime conscription in American history was authorized under the

Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, also known as the Burke–Wadsworth Act, , was the first peacetime conscription in United States history. This Selective Service Act required that men who had reached their 21st birthday b ...

in September 1940. This was well in advance of the country's actual entry into World War II, but in clear anticipation of the likelihood of involvement. Registration began with those aged between 21 and 35, and gradually broadened to men aged between 18 to 64 as needs increased after the country entered the war in December 1941. On April 27, 1942, the fourth registration was held nationwide, which encompassed men from the ages of 45 to 64 (i.e., born between April 27, 1877, and February 16, 1897), earning it the nickname of "The Old Man's Draft." Unlike the earlier registrations, its purpose was indirect; the individuals were not actually liable for military service. This registration was essentially a very broad inventory of manpower and skills useful to the war effort, potentially bringing under-utilized or unemployed men back into a more fruitful occupation, and allowing for the release of easily-replaceable, younger, or more fit men to fight. The information gathered on the registration cards was basically similar to the other registrations. The front of the card included full name, place of residence (determining local board jurisdiction), mailing address, telephone number, age and date of birth, place of birth, address of a "person who will always know your address," employer's name and address, and the place of employment. The back of the card included a physical description of the registrant, with race, height, weight, complexion, "other obvious physical characteristics that will aid in identification," and a certification that the registrant and registrar attested that the answers given on the card were true. A very large proportion of the registration cards still exist, and are an interesting public record.https://vlp.cah.ucf.edu/popups/oldmandraft.html

Famous persons in the draft

Tiny Ward Roscoe Samuel "Tiny" Ward (January 2, 1893 – September 12, 1956) was an American actor. He occasionally was billed as Jack "Tiny" Ward. Due to his appearance in several "classics" he is a fairly well-known face in film history. In the 192 ...

*Sgt.

Alvin York Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known as Sergeant York, was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Old Man's Draft, The Conscription in the United States

History

Famous persons in the draft

See also

References