Civilian Conservation Corps Enrollee's Cumulative Record

The Civilian Conservation Corps existed between 1933 and 1942.  It employed millions of unmarried men between the ages of 17 and 25 on projects in rural areas owned primarily by federal, state, and local governments. The CCC was designed to provide jobs for young men, to relieve families who had difficulty finding jobs during the Great Depression in the United States.  The men served a term of six months, but they could serve up to four terms. They earned $30 a month, $25 of which was sent home to their families.

This is a copy of my maternal grandfather's cumulative record which includes information about his parents and past educational, occupational, and military experience.

My great-grandfather died when my grandfather was nine years old.  When he finished grammar school, my grandfather got a job to help support his family.  At the time he signed his application to join the CCC,  he had been unemployed for two years.  He left his job as a grocery clerk in December 1932 at 15 years of age.  $25 of his $30 a month earnings while in the CCC was sent home to his mother to help support his family.  Most men in the CCC did the same, naming their mothers as their dependent relative.

My grandfather was in the CCC from 1934 to 1938.  He entered when he was 16 years old and was discharged when he was 19 years old.  He was in two companies and two different camps during that time.

His birth date appears to be 8 November 1917 on the first form, but it really was 18 November 1917.  It just may be the quality of the copy of the form or a written mistake.

My grandfather participated in a number of educational programs.  They included leather work, flower gardening, cooking, first aid, and truck driving.

Most of my grandfather's time was spent doing mosquito control in Lewes, Delaware.  His unit drained mosquito-infested swamps on Delaware farms by digging drainage ditches leading away from the marshy areas. Stagnant ponds and streams, mosquito breeding places, were freshened by pumping fresh water into the stagnant water areas. The fresh water killed the mosquito larvae.

During his time in the CCC my grandfather's interests included sports, reading, leather craft, and flowers.  He also earned certificates in first aid and cooking.

He was discharged on 8 April 1938 when his enlistment expired.  He left without having a new job secured, but in the 1940 census he was working in a smoke house.

Record of Physical Examination - Civilian Conservation Corps

The Civilian Conservation Corps existed between 1933 and 1942.  It employed millions of unmarried men between the ages of 17 and 25 on projects in rural areas owned primarily by federal, state, and local governments. The CCC was designed to provide jobs for young men, to relieve families who had difficulty finding jobs during the Great Depression in the United States.  The men served a term of six months, but they could serve up to four terms. They earned $30 a month, $25 of which was sent home to their families.

This is my maternal grandfather's Record of Physical Examination while he was in the CCC.  He was generally healthy throughout his service.  He was recorded as being 71 inches tall and weighing 140 pounds with 20/20 eyesight and hearing.  He was vaccinated for Typhoid-paratyphoid and Smallpox.  He did spend two days, 17 March through 19 March 1937, in the hospital with tonsillitis, but he made a complete recovery.

Transfers

The Civilian Conservation Corps existed between 1933 and 1942.  It employed millions of unmarried men between the ages of 17 and 25 on projects in rural areas owned primarily by federal, state, and local governments. The CCC was designed to provide jobs for young men, to relieve families who had difficulty finding jobs during the Great Depression in the United States.  The men served a term of six months, but they could serve up to four terms. They earned $30 a month, $25 of which was sent home to their families.

This is a record of my maternal grandfather's transfers while he was in the CCC.  He was transferred two times.  Once to Camp Squaw Creek and once to Camp Dix, New Jersey.

Additional Remarks

The Civilian Conservation Corps existed between 1933 and 1942.  It employed millions of unmarried men between the ages of 17 and 25 on projects in rural areas owned primarily by federal, state, and local governments. The CCC was designed to provide jobs for young men, to relieve families who had difficulty finding jobs during the Great Depression in the United States.  The men served a term of six months, but they could serve up to four terms. They earned $30 a month, $25 of which was sent home to their families.

This is a copy of a CCC Additional Remarks Form regarding my maternal grandfather.  He was appointed as a Leader one time and an Assistant Leader four times.  He was a Leader for Mosquito Control, Road Construction, and Forestry Labor.  He was an Assistant Leader for Mosquito Control three times and once for Forestry Labor.

He was hospitalized once for two days, 17 March to 19 March 1937.  He would have been doing Mosquito control in Lewes, Delaware.

My grandfather had four absences, one without permission.  For that one he was admonished, but no hearing was held.

It is again noted that he had an eighth grade education and that he had been employed as a grocery clerk.

While in the CCC my grandfather did Mosquito Control, Road Construction with a pick and shovel, and Forestry Labor with an ax.  He also attended Life Saving School and spent some time traveling.

It is noted that my grandfather was a reliable and willing worker.

Record of Service in Civilian Conservation Corps

The Civilian Conservation Corps existed between 1933 and 1942.  It employed millions of unmarried men between the ages of 17 and 25 on projects in rural areas owned primarily by federal, state, and local governments. The CCC was designed to provide jobs for young men, to relieve families who had difficulty finding jobs during the Great Depression in the United States.  The men served a term of six months, but they could serve up to four terms. They earned $30 a month, $25 of which was sent home to their families.

This is a copy of my maternal grandfather's Record of Service in the Civilian Conservation Corps.  My great-grandfather died when my grandfather was nine years old.  When he finished grammar school, my grandfather got a job to help support his family.  At the time he signed his application to join the CCC,  he had been unemployed for two years.  He left his job as a grocery clerk in December 1932 at 15 years of age.  $25 of his $30 a month earnings while in the CCC was sent home to his mother to help support his family.  Most men in the CCC did the same, naming their mothers as their dependent relative.

From 3 January 1935 to 1 June 1937 and from 13 June to 7 October 1937, my grandfather participated in mosquito control in Lewes, Delaware. His unit drained mosquito-infested swamps on Delaware farms by digging drainage ditches leading away from the marshy areas. Stagnant ponds and streams, mosquito breeding places, were freshened by pumping fresh water into the stagnant water areas. The fresh water killed the mosquito larvae.

From 2 June to 12 June 1937 (a break from mosquito control), my grandfather participated in life saving school in Lewes, Delaware.  I grew up hearing that my grandfather was a lifeguard in Lewes.  I think I found a connection!

From 7 October to 11 October 1937, my grandfather traveled to Slate Creek, Idaho.  Once there he participated in road construction until 15 December 1937.

From 16 December 1937 to 1 April 1938, he did forestry labor with a pick in Gibbon, Oregon.  After that, he must have had enough of the Civilian Conservation Corps, because he declined to reenlist.  From 1 April to 5 April he traveled to Camp Dix, New Jersey.  He was discharged from there on 8 April 1938.

United States Department of Labor Emergency Conservation Work: Application Memorandum

The Civilian Conservation Corps existed between 1933 and 1942.  It employed millions of unmarried men between the ages of 17 and 25 on projects in rural areas owned primarily by federal, state, and local governments. The CCC was designed to provide jobs for young men, to relieve families who had difficulty finding jobs during the Great Depression in the United States.  The men served a term of six months, but they could serve up to four terms. They earned $30 a month, $25 of which was sent home to their families.

This is a copy of my maternal grandfather's Application Memorandum dated 15 December 1934.  He wrote down the wrong birth year.  He was born in 1917, not 1916.

My great-grandfather died when my grandfather was nine years old.  When he finished grammar school, my grandfather got a job to help support his family.  At the time he signed this application he had been unemployed for two years.  He left his job as a grocery clerk in December 1932.  He would have been 15 years old at that time.

$25 of his $30 a month earnings while in the CCC was sent home to his mother to help support his family.  Most men in the CCC did the same, naming their mothers as their dependent relative.

Individual Record - Civilian Conservation Corps: General Information

The Civilian Conservation Corps existed between 1933 and 1942.  It employed millions of unmarried men between the ages of 17 and 25 on projects in rural areas owned primarily by federal, state, and local governments. The men served a term of six months, but they could serve up to four terms. They earned $30 a month, $25 of which was sent home to their families.

This is a copy of my maternal grandfather's Individual Record form.  It includes some general information about him.  A couple things stand out to me.  First, his birth year is wrong.  He was born in 1917, not 1916.  Was this a typo or did he lie about his age?  He would have been 17 at the time he joined the CCC, so I think it is a typo.  The second thing that stands out is the original typed address for his mother and himself have been crossed out and a new address has been handwritten.  His family must have moved in the time he signed up and the time he signed this form.

On this form my grandfather states he had been unemployed since December 1932, more than two years before he entered the CCC.  This would make him the perfect recruit since the young men had to be unemployed and recommended by the Department of Labor through a local welfare agency.

Exploring Civilian Conservation Corps Service Records

I grew up knowing my maternal grandfather was in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and I had a general understanding as to what it was.  As I got into researching my family history, I had more questions.  What exactly was a CCC camp?  What did my grandfather do while he was there?

One day, I came across this picture and I had even more questions.  My grandfather is standing on the left, but the other two men are unfamiliar to me.  This led me to request documents from the National Archives at St. Louis.  The documents have tons of information on them, and I am looking forward to going over them line by line.

The National Archives has a great web site with tons of information on the Civilian Conservation Corps, and I have learned more than I could ever have imagined.  The CCC existed between 1933 and 1942.  It employed millions of unmarried men between the ages of 17 and 25 on projects in rural areas owned primarily by federal, state, and local governments. The men served a term of six months, but they could serve up to four terms. They earned $30 a month, $25 of which was sent home to their families.

Most of the work the CCC performed consisted of manual labor and operated in every state and territory. The men built hiking trails, roads, park and forest buildings; constructed bridges; planted trees; and put out forest fires. The men could also get vocational training and basic education in academic subjects, such as math and grammar.

I am excited to do some more research and to see where my grandfather fits into all of this.