DRAFT REGISTRATION

One more story about Steve, Sr. before we return to Slovakia: Steve told me that his father (Steve, Sr.) was drafted into the American army in World War I, but the war ended before he had to go. This would have been ironic because as we learned earlier he had supposedly left Europe in 1914 with $50 and a loaf of bread in order to avoid being drafted into the Austro-Hungarian Army. If he had been drafted into the American Army and sent back to Europe he would have been fighting his own countrymen, who were being conscripted against their will into the Austro-Hungarian Army to fight the allies including Americans. 

There is something not quiet right with this story. Although Steve Miklo Senior did register for the draft in America, he never actually served. His draft registration card is dated September 12 (probably 1918 –for some reason the year is not written). The war ended in November 1918, so the part of the story that the war ending before he could be sent abroad makes sense. But because he was 33 years old it is unlikely he would have ever been actually called up to serve.

The registration card has some interesting information. It notes that Steve Sr. is an alien (not a U.S. Citizen), a Hungarian Slav, a laborer at U.S. Gypsum, his nearest relative is his sister, Annie Spal, P.O. Box 81, Curtis, Wisconsin. The card notes that he is medium height - 5’9” tall, slender build with grey eyes and light hair. There is a question: Has person lost arm, leg, hand, eye, or is he obviously physically disqualified? The answer is No.

You can see his registration card by clicking here:
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-26417-13245-58?cc=1968530&wc=M9MT-24Z%3A220102928