Robert, Illinois, 1969. No. 165: The Decemberists

I was in the first lottery.  I was lucky.  I recall clearly that day.  I was sitting in the cafeteria at my college dorm listening to the radio broadcast of the numbers being called out, one by one.  I have a December birthday.  I was struck...

Pete, Georgia. Football Yes, Army No

My encounter with the draft was before I was to go N.C. State on a football scholarship in 1965. I had knee surgery in 1964 by Dr. Jack Huston in Columbus, Ga. which resulted in a a staple being placed in my knee. I was called to Atlanta for the army...

Robert, California, 1965. Another Kind of Lottery

There was no draft lottery in 1965 when I graduated from Cal.  I had a II-S student deferment for law school, and was slugging it out in my first year at UCLA School of Law.In October, 1965 my draft board reclassified me I-A and sent me a notice to take a...

Robert, Michigan, 1970. No. 45: Family Tradition of Service

I was eager to become part of the military.  My family dates back in the United States to prior 1800.  Every male of my family has been in the military and fought in every war and conflict since the War of 1812.  All four of my children including...

Randy, California, 1969. No. 3: Clogging The Court

On that fateful December 1, 1969, I learned that my birthday was picked No. 3 but it didn’t occur to me to panic, because I was young and stupid and just couldn’t imagine being drafted.  I left UCLA in the fall of 1970 and went off to Stanford for...