Kindred Tales: World Wars

On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson went before a joint session of Congress to request a declaration of war against Germany. On April 4th the U.S. Senate voted in support of the measure and the House concurred two days later.

Although patriotic support for the war was strong, volunteer enlistment into the army lagged behind the national enthusiasm. It became necessary to institute a draft to bring in the needed number of men. The Selective Service Act was enacted May 18, 1917, authorizing the federal government to raise a national army through compulsory enlistment.

There were three registrations (including a supplement to the second):

The first, on June 5, 1917, was for all men between the ages of 21 and 31.
The second, on June 5, 1918, registered those who attained age 21 after June 5, 1917.
A supplemental registration was held on August 24, 1918, for those becoming 21 years old after June 5, 1918.
The third registration was held on September 12, 1918, for men age 18 through 45.

My Grandfather Robert Rector Speas was required to register in the first draft. He was 22 years old at the time and was single. By the time he was inducted into the army on June 16, 1918, he was married.

His twin brother, Herbert Parr registered the same day.

Grandpa incurred significant injuries when he was hit by shrapnel during trench warfare and his brother performed office work. Because of Herbert's position he was able to track his twin's medical records and inform the family of his condition.

Note: On July 12, 1973, a disastrous fire at the National Personnel Records Center destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files. Approximatley 80% of the discharge records of World War I combatants were lost and we have thus been unable to find Grandpa's medical of official release records.

My paternal Grandfather Demar McCracken was born July 1, 1897, and thus was not required to register in the first draft and was one month shy of 21 at the time of the second draft. The supplemental registration on August 14, 1918, included Demar. For some time I had believed that Demar did not register, but have since learned that he used the surname Mack on his registration, rather than McCracken, a common shorter form of the name used by the family.