by | Sep 6, 2010 | Stories
I remember the night the 1969 draft lottery results were broadcast. Several of my friends gathered at a friend’s dorm room at Duke University to listen to the results (we were all juniors). If my memory is correct, I did not hear my number...
by | Sep 6, 2010 | Stories
We were back in our fraternity dorm room at Duke after watching the TV broadcast of the draft, trying to understand the implications of our respective lottery numbers. My roommate, Richard, was there – everyone called him The Chard. A kid we...
by | Sep 2, 2010 | Stories
I was and am a conservative. I was the Duke Chapter Chairman of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF). I believed in the war and was ready to do my part. My draft lottery was in 1969. In 1970, I was selected by YAF to visit Vietnam...
by | Aug 31, 2010 | Stories
I recall riding on a bus to Raleigh with others for our physical exam–we were a number of white Duke students and many Durham residents of color. My mood on the trip to the physical was one of anxiety but basic trust–the system would be fair, of...
by | Aug 31, 2010 | Stories
What I remember most was my number: 280. It meant I was safe and would not get drafted. I knew a couple of guys who had low numbers and just walked around numb. We all knew we didn’t want to go, but it would be years before I realized how much Vietnam changed so...
by | Aug 30, 2010 | Stories
The first draft lottery, in December 1969, had a profound impact on my life. I still keep a reminder from that night: among my college memorabilia is a page from Newsweek magazine with the lottery results.I was out with friends early in the evening and didn’t...
