George, Georgia, 1969. No. 345: No Troubles In The World

I recall the significance of that night.  I was watching in my fraternity house at North Carolina State.  There was a strange irony after the lottery was over that many of us were drinking beer, some because they were celebrating in relief and the others to...

Jay, Wisconsin, 1969. Doctor Draft

I was already in medical school at the time of the draft lottery, having entered in the fall of 1968. There was a special "Doctor Draft" that drafted all doctors after one year of internship into the military as General Medical Officers.  Introduction...

Fraz, Michigan, 1969. No. 2: Platoon Medic In The Bush

I had applied for and was granted a classification 1-A-0 which was a concientious objector opposed to taking human life, but not opposed to a Nation’s right to raise up an Army. Three funny things happened: the Marines wanted me, but they couldn’t accept a...

Rhodes, Florida, 1970. No. 42: Not Supposed To Happen

Although I had had some ROTC experience, I was not enamored with going to Viet Nam. OCS was closed when I graduated in June of 1970, so I enlisted, in an attempt to obtain an MOS that was non-combat related. I went into the Quartermaster Corps after completing basic...