Question: I am confused why I can not find a World War I record for my great-grandfather. He appears in the draft registrations I have found online.
Answer: When your relative signed up for the draft it did not always mean he served. Another deception this may cause for a researcher is someone who is already in the military before the draft registration. They may ignore the fact that the person served in World War I when they do not find them on the draft registration. Even though many records were destroyed in the fire in St. Louis in 1973, I suggest to contact the Adjutant General in your state to see if his discharge record is on file. In most cases a veteran's honorable discharge was filed with the Adjutant General's office of his state of enlistment.