Hank, Georgia, 1969. No. 330: Televised Happening

When the lottery was drawn in December of 1969, I was a sophomore at UGA and had just moved into an apartment with a high school buddy and former Tucker Hall roommate, Wayne.  We had several neighbors and two additional roommates crowd into our 2 bedroom apartment living room for the big event: "The Bingo Game of Life". 

We made a party out of the occasion which rivaled watching a Georgia football game.  Plenty of ice cold beer, dips and chips were consumed in copious amounts as our anticipation grew with the introduction of this televised historic "Happening". 

I must admit that for me the party was great but the drawing was a bit anticlimactic.  Why? Just before coming back to school this sophomore year I had signed up for the Marine Corps "Platoon Leadership Course (Air)". This signing guaranteed that upon graduation I would  be commissioned an officer in the Corps and be sent to Pensacola, Florida for flight training.  Accordingly, I was the brunt of thrown popcorn and chips from those whose birthdates were drawn early, particularly in light of the fact that my number wasn’t drawn until the mid 300’s. This party became one of "the best of times" for some, but "the worst of times" for others. 

For me, I graduated, was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant, and became a Marine chopper pilot, but never saw ‘Nam.  By the time I graduated from flight school the war was winding down.