Robert, New York, 1969. No. 117: One of the Chosen

I recall that day in horror. I was a second year student at the now infamous University of Wisconsin, Madison campus. We were well known as one of the leading schools in the country of protesting the war. I was on my way to a basketball game, listening on the radio to...

Jonathan, Oregon, 1969. No. 240: An MD Behind Your Name

The number didn’t matter.I graduated from the Univ. of Wisconsin in 1968 and went on to the UW School of Medicine.  Graduating in 1972 and completing an internship the following year, I was 100% draft eligible and in the sights of the draft board as...

Scott,Wisconsin, 1969. No. 119: Staying In School

My dominant thought when the numbers were drawn was to focus on staying in school. I always felt somehow the draft wouldn’t grab me. I remember hearing of a frat boy throwing a television at the wall and others getting "fall down" drunk. 119 was a...

David, Wisconsin, 1969. Parameters of Conscience

Truthfully, I don’t actually remember my specific lottery number, just that it was rather high (near the likely breakpoint for call-ups).  I was already a university student so my original draft status of 1-A-O granted when I turned 18 for religious...

George, Florida: Army Tutorial

When the lottery began I was an Army Captain on extended leave from the military attending law school at the University of Florida.  As a consequence the lottery had no impact on me.  Not so my fellow law students who were in a state of panic as they saw...

Terry, New York, 1969. No. 162: Uncle Sam's Wedding Present

I entered graduate school at UW-Madison in Fall, 1967, and was married in the summer of 1968. A wedding present from Uncle Sam was a low draft number and induction proceedings started the next year, I think. My physical didn’t exclude me (Darn!) but when I went...