Dave, Florida, 1969. No. 99: Join the Navy, See the World

When I knew my lottery number.. which was 99… in a year where everyone was going up into the 300’s if I remember right… it was that fact that made me ask myself… "Do I want to dig fox holes when I graduate from college… or do I want...

Dragon, Wisconsin, 1971. No. 124: Fist of Fury

I remember I was a senior at the U of W – Oshkosh.  I went to the dorm that night to visit friends and watch the lottery.  My number came up 124 and I was worried because I had gone through my four years of college deferment and was heading for...

Larry, Virginia, 1969. AFROTC and the Voice of America

I don’t know what my number was– didn’t care as I had an AFROTC scholarship my senior year. Served 5 yrs in the Air Force, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Marin County, CA, and Washington, DC. My AF experience in electronics and intelligence/security...

James, California, 1969. No. 305: Outed by LBJ

I knew that I would not accept induction into the military.  The lottery was just going to determine the reason I would not be inducted.  If my number was low, I would have to choose between leaving the country or leaving the closet.  Since I was lucky...

Jerry, North Carolina, 1969. No. 296: Keeper of the List

My story is short.  I listened to the first lottery on the radio or TV in my dorm room (I can’t remember which).  As the birth dates were called I wrote each one down in order.  In the anxiety of the moment I was relieved as 295 other dates were...

Pic, North Carolina, 1969. Four Years, No Tears

Don’t recall my exact lottery number. Believe it was in the 30s. I made a genius move and enlisted in the USN for 4 years…3 years 48 weeks. Spent 15 – 16 months on Guam and 24 1/2 months in and out of San Diego including 2 Western Pacific...