WWII draft

[Margareta Ålander]

In search for my grandfather who emigrated to New York 1923 I find on Ancestry records that show he was drafted to WWII in 1942. Does this mean he had become a US citizen or was also foreigners drafted ?  
 
All help is appreciated
Best regards Margareta

[John Hage]

Margareta,
Your grandfather may have registered for the draft to gain citizenship, as shown below in the quotation from Wikipedia.  The US Army was creating a division of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish speaking men to serve in Scandinavia due to the German occupation of Denmark and Norway.  My father, who was a citizen, was drafted for this division because he was fluent in Swedish.
 
Conscription in the United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
 
Selective Service (and the draft) in the United States is not limited to citizens. Non-citizen males of appropriate age in the United States, who are permanent residents (holders of green cards), seasonal agricultural workers, refugees, parolees, asylees, and even illegal immigrants, are required to register with the Selective Service System.[41] Refusal to do so is grounds for denial of a future citizenship application. In addition, immigrants who seek to naturalize as citizens must, as part of the Oath of Citizenship, swear to the following:
 
... that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the armed forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law;[42]
 
Non-citizens who serve in the United States military enjoy several naturalization benefits which are unavailable to non-citizens who do not, such as a waiver of application fees.[43] Permanent resident aliens who die while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces may be naturalized posthumously, which may be beneficial to surviving family members.[44]
 
You can research his citizenship status through the website http://www.jgsny.org/nynats.htm if he was naturalized in New York State.
John H.

[Chris Bingefors]

That was a very useful page, John. Thanks

[Margareta Ålander]

John,
 
many thanks, very informative and may help us further in our research
 
Margareta

[John Hage]

Margareta,
You should be able to order a copy of his military service record through the National Archives at http://www.archives.gov/.  That would tell you what his citizenship status was as well as any decorations and training he received.
John H.

[John Hage]

Margareta,
I see from the newspaper this morning that www.Ancestry.com is providing copies of the World War I and II draft registration cards free through the end of May 2008.  So this month you won't need to pay for membership to search for your grandfather's draft registration on Ancestry.com.
John H.

[Margareta Ålander]

John,
 
many thanks for your hints and web adresses. I have tried to find further info on the sites you suggested but not had any luck so far except for the draft registration card on Ancestry that I already had. It seems like it is quite a process to obtain military service records if you are not next to kin and even lack the knowledge if in this case my grandfather ever did any service.
Margareta

[John Hage]

Margareta,
What other information do you have about your grandfather?  The US Federal Census for 1930 (available through Ancestry.com) would show his citizenship status and county and state of residence if he was here in 1930.  Be aware that the names are not always spelled correctly in the Ancestry.com search index.  Sometimes you need to compare the birth dates for similar names.  Also, if he was in the military, he must have had a social security number that would be available through the Social Security Death Index, assuming he has passed away.  The social security number might be a key to finding his service record and his last place of residence.  The social security number is a nine digit number that would be shown like this: 123-45-6789.
John H.