I was part of the generation of college men who "sweated" through the first lottery experience. I was with a group of other non-fraternity UK college guys who met at an apartment that evening, with plenty of beer, liquor, and spaghetti, glued to the TV screen. We anticipated that some of us would need support–which proved to be true. As it turned out, several guys were in the first draft call based on their low numbers. I was No. 143, thought to be just on the line, and I was later notified to report to a draft center in Louisville for the physical. However, I was never drafted.
I recall that evening very clearly as a potentially life-changing experience. The only other time in my life when I was so fearful of the future was the Cuban missile crisis, when I thought I’d surely die in a nuclear attack!