Gary, Georgia, 1969. No. 308: The Reserve Haircut

I was a sophmore at UGA and lived in the AEPi fraternity house in Athens.  I recall the TV news shows announcing the numbers off and on throughout the day.  I forget what day of the week it was, but my fraternity brothers would come and go, looking for their...

Tom, Georgia, 1969. No. 091: The Last Draftee

As I recall, the entire frat house was watching and listening to the lottery and drinking beer.  After about number 200 or so, I took a bio break and while standing there, another brother came to use the head.  He was one year older than me, but we both had...

Ben, Georgia, 1969. No. 366: Bowl of Destiny

I was sitting in a dorm room at Georgia with 4 or 5 other resident friends, drinking beer and listening to the live draft on the radio. There was a lot of tension in the room as your number had a huge impact on your immediate future and the choices you faced. A low...

Tom, Georgia, 1969. One Year Teaching Was Enough

Before the date of the first lottery I had already been in Air Force ROTC for four years. After graduating in 1969 I was slated to be commissioned in the Air Force. However, on the morning of my signing up I decided I actually did not want to be...

Dee, Georgia, 1969. No. 262: Lacing Up The Hightops

I was living in the fraternity house when the first lottery was held. Everybody put a dollar (or five or whatever it was) in a pot and whoever had the lowest number "won" the money. As you might imagine, it was a pot no one wanted to win. My friend...