Daddy Dee Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1877943,00.html This man is still in the US Army. He was turned down by the Marines and the Army when he had tried to enlist, before he got drafted. Absolutely, this man was the last inducted into the military by the draft in 1972. He's been in 37 years and is considering retirement as a Command Sargeant Major. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Interesting............ In 1975 I attended basic training with two individuals with US numbers. These two individuals were called under the draft years ealier, but had medical deferments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Boy, this brings back memories............My Draft # was 365..............but I enlisted . The only good think Nixon did was stop the shipment of troops during my Basic Training..............Thus I got to Visit Germany instead of Nam..............Whew! Glad he safely made it thru all these years !................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I recall the lottery system but not my number. A lady from the draft board called and told me if I would agree to change my student deferment 2S to 1A for six months I could resume my 2S without worrying about becoming 1A again. She said that it was a high probability they would not get close to my number (somewhere around 150). I don't know why she did that but I owe her big time. Several friends with low numbers went ahead and joined so they could go to Bragg during the winter rather than Paris Island during the summer. A long time ago....1967 or 68..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindman Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I am a 55 year old man who remembers everything about the draft lottery. I remember watching the drawing on television on February 2, 1972. This was the drawing for those of us born in 1953. It was one of the scariest shows I have ever seen on television. The outcome literally had the effect of life-or-death and meant that either your future was relatively safe, or that you should start putting all of your future plans on hold for a while. About a dozen of my boyhood friends that were only 1 or 2 years older than me were drafted in 1971 and 1972. In those years, any lottery number less than 195 (for those born in 1970) or 95 (for those born in 1971) got called up. By the way, if I had been born in 1951 my lottery number for the 1971 draft would have been 151 which means I would have been drafted to go to Viet Nam. If I had been born in 1952 my lottery number would have been 48 which means I would have been drafted to go to Viet Nam. Six of my friends who got drafted to go to Viet Nam did not return. Two came back permanently disabled. One shot himself in the knees so that he would not have to go back......he still walks using crutches. My lottery number ended up being 196. One more than the highest number for the draft in 1971. As it turned out, the draft was suspended July 1, 1973. So they did not draft anyone who was born in 1953. I did have to go get a physical. My classification was "1-H" which meant "available immediately for military service". In 1975, I tried to enlist because I come from a poor family and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to further my education. I was turned down because the war in Viet Nam had ended and there were too many people in the military services and they were trying to downsize. I have a brother who is 9 years younger than me. He joined the Air Force ROTC in High School and College to help pay for his education. He never expected to serve during a war time conflict. Much to his surprise, he spent 18 months flying a tanker during the Persian Gulf war. He left the Air Force after a field promotion to Captain. When the war ended they were trying to downsize again and offered him several thousand dollars to get out. He was able to take the money and get a PhD in Neuroscience Biology. Summary: I almost got drafted, didn't, tried to enlist, got turned down, my brother joined ROTC, served, and ended up with a PhD. So it goes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarheel Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Good memory blindman. I do still remember the ladies name at the draft board and wondered on the way home this afternoon if she was still living. I think I will try to look her up. I was born in 1949 and remember that we posted the lottery numbers and initials of everyone in our frat (TKE). My memory may be failing me was there a 1A or was it 1H as highest priority? My friend Bob Ward who had a low lottery number joined the Army and decided telecommunications should be safe. The first day in Viet Nam an officer asked Bob what he did and he said "telecommunications sir". The officer directed him to a radio pack and told him to strap it on. Not what Bob had in mind. Bob told me stories of climbing towers to string line and hearing bullets flying by. I lost track of Bob over the years and looked him up ten years ago and we took up like the previous years had never happend. We were friends at 13 years of age and he lived several houses down the street from me. We created a lot of mischief in our time. Bob died last March, the 9th, of a heart attack. A good man and a good friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindman Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Tarheel, Yes, my bad. I-H was "Registrant not currently subject to processing for induction". I-A was "Available immediately for military service". I-A was the highest priority. When I took my physical in 1972, I was classified I-A. When I tried to enlist in 1975, I was reclassified as I-H. By the way, I did not burn my draft card. I actually still have it in my box of mementos. ******************************************************************************************************************* One of my friends worked in telecommunications in Viet Nam. He remembers standing guard in a watch tower at his base one night. He decided to smoke a cigar. The Viet Cong outside the fence used the light emitting from his lighted cigar as a target. After they shot it out of his mouth...he decided to never smoke another cigar. He also remembers monitoring the radios while he was behind the lines during fire storms. He does not like to talk to about how many times the lines went dead while he was listening to the transmissions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 Boy, this brings back memories............My Draft # was 365..............but I enlisted . The only good think Nixon did was stop the shipment of troops during my Basic Training..............Thus I got to Visit Germany instead of Nam..............Whew! Ah the memories..... Draft number was #3...... I lasted about 2 weeks. Received my "letter" on 4 August 1969; On 22 August, on the bus to North Fort Polk, Lousiana - "Home of The Combat Infantryman for Vietnam".... I distinctly remember the two drill sergeants assign to my BCT platoon.... "Yogi and Boo-Boo".... The cartoon nightmare from hell..... [Y] What a long strange trip it has been.... But in retrospect.... worth it in many ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winchester21 Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I was drafted in 72 near the end - went into the Air Force as an alternative- did not want to be there- caused trouble constantly- got into fights- went AWOL chasing women for days at a time- woke in jail on several occasions- Had enough Article 15s to wallpaper my room. Finally got asked to leave for punching out a T ech -SGT- E-7- at 4 in the morning- He deserved it. Guess I got it out of my system. Never got into trouble again after that. Indeed a strange time in many lives. Many of my school friends came back in body bags.Bad chapter in American history.i Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colterphoto1 Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 I remember taking French in High School.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.