August 17, 1917 County Draft List

The first draft for World War I was held on June 5, 1917, with men from age 21 to 30 eligible. The list below is dated August 17, 1917, and lists the Clay County men identified in that draft. There were 1237 men drafted in Clay County from #1, Frank M. Korgan of Inland, to Geo. B. Krug of Harvard, #1237. 

A second draft on June 5, 1918, and its supplement on August 24, 1918, picked up men who turned 21 since the prior drafts. The third draft was held on September 12, 1918, with eligible ages expanded to 18 to 45. Armistice Day came two months later.

The men were called up in sequence as levies were placed on the county. The men then appeared at the induction center, on date certain, for physicals and other evaluations to determine their fitness for service. 

Each man's serial number is on the left, the Order of Drawing on the right. The Order of Drawing became the sequence that they were called. The list is not alphabetical so it is a challenge to find Grandpa.