find my fathers WW1 records? His name is James M Knapp. He was born in Sacramento, CA. Feb 27 1901.

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

We searched the National Archives and located the Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 in the Records of the Selective Service System (World War I) (Record Group 163) that includes a card for James Morrison Knapp which matches the information you provided except for being off by one year.  We are attaching a copy below.  

Please note that not everyone who registered for the draft served. However, if they registered and were conscripted, that should be indicated by the  Classification Lists, 1917–1918 in Record Group 163. Each entry shows the registrants' order number, name, race, serial number, classification, physical examination information, date to report for military duty and entrainment to the mobilization camp, and the date he was accepted, rejected, discharged, or reported delinquent. For more information about and/or copies of these records, please contact the National Archives at Atlanta (RRFA) via email at atlanta.archives@nara.gov. Please attach the draft registration form when requesting a copy of his classification history, as this will make it easier for RRFA staff to locate the correct entry.

We also located a James M Knapp in the California, U.S., World War I Soldier Service Cards and Photos, 1917-1918 that may be a match.

Source Citation: California State Library; Sacramento, California; California, World War I Soldier Service Records; Roll: 14

Source Information: Ancestry.com. California, U.S., World War I Soldier Service Cards and Photos, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Original data: California, World War I Soldier Service Records. Microfilm publication, 28 rolls. California State Library, California History Section. Sacramento, California.

We also suggest that you request a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). OMPFs and individual medical reports for military personnel who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis. In many cases where personnel records were destroyed in the 1973 fire, proof of service can be provided from other records such as morning reports, payrolls, and military orders, and a certificate of military service will be issued if enough information can be located. 

You may use eVetRecs to submit your records request online. See eVetRecs Help for instructions. Alternatively, you may complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail it to NARA's National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. If there is any information requested by the forms that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file. If you want the complete record, where it asks which items you are requesting, please specify that you want the entire file. If there is any information requested by the form that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file if it survived the fire. For more information see Request Military Service Records. 

Archival OMPFs may also be requested by visiting the Archival Research Room at the National Archives at St. Louis. Please see the linked web pages for more information.  Please email stlarr.archives@nara.gov for further assistance prior to making an appointment. 

Since some veterans registered with their state or local veterans service agencies after they separated from service, we suggest that you contact the state or county veterans agency where the veteran lived for additional assistance. Please review the NPRC web page Other Methods to Obtain Military Service Records for more information. Please be advised that registering discharge papers with local and state authorities was optional, so we cannot guarantee that these types of organizations will have his records.

We hope this helps with your research! 

Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!

We searched the National Archives and located the Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 in the Records of the Selective Service System (World War I) (Record Group 163) that includes a card for James Morrison Knapp which matches the information you provided except for being off by one year.  We are attaching a copy below.  

Please note that not everyone who registered for the draft served. However, if they registered and were conscripted, that should be indicated by the  Classification Lists, 1917–1918 in Record Group 163. Each entry shows the registrants' order number, name, race, serial number, classification, physical examination information, date to report for military duty and entrainment to the mobilization camp, and the date he was accepted, rejected, discharged, or reported delinquent. For more information about and/or copies of these records, please contact the National Archives at Atlanta (RRFA) via email at atlanta.archives@nara.gov. Please attach the draft registration form when requesting a copy of his classification history, as this will make it easier for RRFA staff to locate the correct entry.

We also located a James M Knapp in the California, U.S., World War I Soldier Service Cards and Photos, 1917-1918 that may be a match.

Source Citation: California State Library; Sacramento, California; California, World War I Soldier Service Records; Roll: 14

Source Information: Ancestry.com. California, U.S., World War I Soldier Service Cards and Photos, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Original data: California, World War I Soldier Service Records. Microfilm publication, 28 rolls. California State Library, California History Section. Sacramento, California.

We also suggest that you request a copy of his Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). OMPFs and individual medical reports for military personnel who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I are in the custody of the National Archives at St. Louis. In many cases where personnel records were destroyed in the 1973 fire, proof of service can be provided from other records such as morning reports, payrolls, and military orders, and a certificate of military service will be issued if enough information can be located. 

You may use eVetRecs to submit your records request online. See eVetRecs Help for instructions. Alternatively, you may complete a GSA Standard Form 180 and mail it to NARA's National Personnel Records Center, (Military Personnel Records), 1 Archives Drive, St. Louis, MO 63138-1002. If there is any information requested by the forms that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file. If you want the complete record, where it asks which items you are requesting, please specify that you want the entire file. If there is any information requested by the form that you do not know, you may omit it or provide estimates (such as for dates), but the more information you provide, the easier it will be to locate the correct file if it survived the fire. For more information see Request Military Service Records. 

Archival OMPFs may also be requested by visiting the Archival Research Room at the National Archives at St. Louis. Please see the linked web pages for more information.  Please email stlarr.archives@nara.gov for further assistance prior to making an appointment. 

Since some veterans registered with their state or local veterans service agencies after they separated from service, we suggest that you contact the state or county veterans agency where the veteran lived for additional assistance. Please review the NPRC web page Other Methods to Obtain Military Service Records for more information. Please be advised that registering discharge papers with local and state authorities was optional, so we cannot guarantee that these types of organizations will have his records.

We hope this helps with your research!