Because the primary period of Rusyn immigration was in the 1890's and early 1900's, the most useful military records for our immigrant ancestors are from the first world war. During 1917 and 1918 all men in the United States, between the ages of eighteen (18) and forty-five (45), both citizens and non-citizens, were required to register for the draft. Many of these draft registration records are now available online. From the hundreds we have reviewed with our village surnames, we have found that our ancestors were overwhelming described as citizens or subjects of Austria. Many are described as from Galicia-Austria, Austria-Hungary, Polish-Austria and Galicia-Poland-Austria. Several others, reflecting the perpetual confusion about Rusyn ethnicity, are described as Russians, a few as Poles. One entry describes a village registrant as Carpatho-Russian.

The names of the registrants' villages were not required but twenty draft registration forms have been found which record our ancestors' birthplace villages. Even without listed villages, however, other information on these forms can be very helpful. The men's employers, occupations, full birth dates, home addresses, family dependents, citizen/alien status, as well as personal characteristics and disabilities were included. Some are signed with an x, others signed by draft board clerks and still others completed with the same signatures which we find on our immigrant ancestors' naturalization papers.

DRAFT REGISTRATION FORMS

Name Village

Dutko, Peter Perhrymka

Guzy, Andrew Peregrimka

Hotz, Asafat Folush

Hotz, John Peter Foluse

Hotz, Michael Folush

Klemash, Mikita Perehrimka

Klimasz. Wallace Klopotnica

Mirowsky, Stephen Volya Ceklenska

Palak, Osif (Pelak) Wola Cekielska

Palak, Wasil (Pelak) Vola Cekl (illegible)

Pawlak, Damiann Folusz

Pawlak, Mike Peregrimka

Pelak, Andrew Wola Ciekelska

Pelak, Peter Peregrimka

Pawlak, Mike Wolo Cekelsko

Rozdzilski, Peter Peregrimka

Smarsz, Wasyl Folusz

Smerek, Mikolay Peregrimka

Wychowanec, Paul Klopotnica

Yurkowsy, Wasyl Andrew Peregrymka