Held on April 27, 1942, the Old Man’s Registration (sometimes called the “Old Man’s Draft” or the “Fourth Registration”) was used during World War II as a way to gather data on the skills of men considered too old for active military duty but potentially useful to the war effort. As part of this registration, men born between April 27,1877, and February 16, 1897 (ages 45 to 64) were required to fill out detailed questionnaires. While the questionnaires themselves have been lost, many of the registration cards survive.
“The Old Man’s Draft.” The Newberry, July 21, 2012. Accessed April 15, 2018, https://www.newberry.org/old-mans-draft.
“Selective Service Records.” National Archives. Accessed March 28, 2018, https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/archival-programs/other-records/selective-service.html.