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Draft

tapwatertapwater Member Posts: 10,335 ✭✭✭
edited March 2006 in US Military Veteran Forum
When did the draft end? I can't recall what my number was, but it wasn't good. I graduated HS in '74, so I got a free pass on Nam. It's an odd thing...I'm glad that I didn't have to go, but somehow wish that I had.
The daily news: I was never into sports scores, but the daily body count was inspiring...no matter that it was pretty much made up....[V]...Anyway, thanks guys.
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  • Rebel_JamesRebel_James Member Posts: 4,746
    edited November -1
    I was supposed to graduate HS in '71, but had a little encounter with a back surgeon, (spinal fusion), and didn't graduate till '72.

    I'd registered for the draft in '71 like I was supposed to. Somehow, they learned about my spinal fusion, and classified me 4F. I was so ashamed. I felt like it was my fault.

    Law Enforcement wasn't as strict on physical condition as the military, so I 'served' in that capacity.
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  • dheffleydheffley Member Posts: 25,000 ✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Rebel_James
    I was supposed to graduate HS in '71, but had a little encounter with a back surgeon, (spinal fusion), and didn't graduate till '72.

    I'd registered for the draft in '71 like I was supposed to. Somehow, they learned about my spinal fusion, and classified me 4F. I was so ashamed. I felt like it was my fault.

    Law Enforcement wasn't as strict on physical condition as the military, so I 'served' in that capacity.



    4F has as much honor as anything else. You were willing, they were protecting you and others because if you back had failed at a critical moment, many good men including you could have died.
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  • dlrjjdlrjj Member Posts: 5,529 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by EhlerDave
    Okay what is 4f?

    Physically or mentally unfit.
    Tax evasion is illegal, tax avoidance is an art form.
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  • 74cuda74cuda Member Posts: 417 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If I remember right, the draft stopped in 1973. My number at graduation in 1974 was 56...
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  • gearheaddadgearheaddad Member Posts: 15,091 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I graduated High school in 1977 and never even had to register for the Draft.
    Anyone know what years there was no draft registration? JW.....
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  • chunkstylechunkstyle Member Posts: 2,463 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The last call was in 1973, the last man brought in was on June 30, 1973. Less than 1000 men were called in 1973, down from about 50,000 in 1972. More than 1.3 million were drafted during Vietnam.
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  • iceracerxiceracerx Member Posts: 8,860 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Registration for the Draft ended in August of 1975.

    Before that we were required to register on or before our 18th birthday.

    I turned 18 in June of '75. Got my card, never got drafted, so I signed up for PLC in '77.
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  • Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
    edited November -1
    I graduated HS in 1966, went to 2 quarters of college, then on Jan 19,1967 enlisted in the USMC. The draft lottery system was started later that year and in a letter from my dad, I was told that it was just as well that I joined, because I had won the #1 spot.
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  • woodshermitwoodshermit Member Posts: 2,589
    edited November -1
    As far as the 4F issue goes, it is unfortunate that a physical condition kept willing men from serving. On the other hand, there are a lot of 4Fs out there whose classification was bought and paid for from sympathetic or unethical physicians.
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  • Gunny52Gunny52 Member Posts: 6 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I got drafted in September of 1972 with a lottery number of 79. I really don't think many were taken after me. I fooled um and enlisted in the Navy.. Ended up a Seabee and damn proud of it.
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  • MIKE WISKEYMIKE WISKEY Member Posts: 10,043 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    a friend of mine had to register when the draft started, he figured wth I've got a 1/365 chance of hitting 1st, yup his b.day was first out of the hat. When I enlisted and was going through the induction center and waiting for the bus to Ft. Campbell a couple of sargents can into the waiting room and said "heads-up" then called a bunch of names- all of you called over here........... You have just become the first drafties into the U.S. Marines.[:0]
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  • Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
    edited November -1
    Gunny 52- so are E-7s in the seabees referred to as Gunnys?, I kinda recall them as being called Chiefs.
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  • Byron R. EnglerByron R. Engler Member Posts: 20 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I will never forget the day I was going for my second physical. I was signed up for the US Navy. When all the men were lined up in 4 lines. To my right were two seperate lines. A couple of Enlisted men went and handed out color folders to the new guys. Alternating yellow and blue.

    This was in Sept of 1970. After each one received a folder, those draftees were told, yellow is Army Draftees, and Blue was Marine Corp Draftees, or vice versa. You worms have 5 minutes to decide to trade folders or get your * on the bus. Amen. Glad I was enlisted in the Navy. But damn proud of all of our Servicemen and women. God Bless you all.
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  • Sparty_76Sparty_76 Member Posts: 714 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was born in Feb of 1954. I had to register for the draft but you did not get inducted till the year you would be 19 (if I remember correctly). I turned 19 in Feb 1973 and the draft was ending, I think my number was in the 130s - 140s. Since even if the draft was still going I was in the "bubble" (numbers 130 -250 or so) and the war winding down I never had to really worry about it.

    My best friend was born in Sept 1953. His number was #2 in the lotery and he got induction notice and physical on Christmas break 1972 our freshman year at Michigan State (him) and Michigan Tech (me). He was told he would not have to go unitil the end of (Winter Term in Mid-March 1973). In late Jan 1973 the Paris Peach accords were signed. He was driving up to Winter Canival at MTU to see me in a blizzard on first weekend in Feb. His mother called me to tell him he had gotten a telegram that his induction notice was canceled and his first cousin (an AF pilot shot down in 1967 in the North and thought dead) was in the first prisoner exchange. Upon his arrival we were not sober for the next three days!

    I do not remember the exact date, but it was just before the WEEKEND, my rommate an upper classman was the ROTC student who was like the "head" student for his class. I remember he would spend what seemed like hours polishing his shoes and polishing his buttons. One afternoon flew in our room with a large sheet. He just tore his Army Uniforms out of the closet through them in a heap on the sheet, dumped all his other Army stuff on top and wadded it all up! I said, "Eric what in the heck are you doing? You have spent hours on that stuff and those are freshly cleaned and pressed uniforms!"

    I'll never forget his reply, "I am free the draft is ending the only reason I was in ROTC was my number was 5! Fu__ the Army, I'm a real college student now, I'm done!" With that he grabbed all his Army wrapped in the sheet and flew out of the room! Three months later he had a beard and hair to his shoulders! He smoked more dope in those three months then anyone I ever saw! Said he had some catching up to do!

    Those were the days!
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  • Henry0ReillyHenry0Reilly Member Posts: 10,892 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Byron R. Engler
    I will never forget the day I was going for my second physical. I was signed up for the US Navy. When all the men were lined up in 4 lines. To my right were two seperate lines. A couple of Enlisted men went and handed out color folders to the new guys. Alternating yellow and blue.

    This was in Sept of 1970. After each one received a folder, those draftees were told, yellow is Army Draftees, and Blue was Marine Corp Draftees, or vice versa. You worms have 5 minutes to decide to trade folders or get your * on the bus. Amen. Glad I was enlisted in the Navy. But damn proud of all of our Servicemen and women. God Bless you all.
    quote:Originally posted by MIKE WISKEY
    a friend of mine had to register when the draft started, he figured wth I've got a 1/365 chance of hitting 1st, yup his b.day was first out of the hat. When I enlisted and was going through the induction center and waiting for the bus to Ft. Campbell a couple of sargents can into the waiting room and said "heads-up" then called a bunch of names- all of you called over here........... You have just become the first drafties into the U.S. Marines.[:0]


    When I went through MCRD San Diego in 1980 (it was the pits, we didn't even get our shades until T-3!) we were told on more than one occasion that the Marine Corps has never accepted draftees.

    I have never met anyone who actually claimed to have been drafted into the Corps, but I've heard the stories similar to the above many times.

    quote:Originally posted by woodshermit
    As far as the 4F issue goes, it is unfortunate that a physical condition kept willing men from serving. On the other hand, there are a lot of 4Fs out there whose classification was bought and paid for from sympathetic or unethical physicians.


    My father wanted to serve during Korea. He was classified unfit for service after his draft physical, then he tried to volunteer; they made him go see the shrink. He has a problem with his right hand and could not adapt to shooting right-handed. I've seen him work a right hand bolt action rifle as quickly as anyone, but the military wouldn't buy it.

    One of his brothers served in Korea, another in Germany during Korea, and the third stayed Stateside due to being allergic to wool uniforms.

    I tried to enlist in the Army in 1976 before the GI bill ran out; apparently quite a few other folks were trying to beat that deadline, too. They turned me down on some trumped up "curved spine" bs because I had mentioned that I had received treatment by a chiroquacktor.
    I used to recruit for the NRA until they sold us down the river (again!) in Heller v. DC. See my auctions (if any) under username henryreilly
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  • woodshermitwoodshermit Member Posts: 2,589
    edited November -1
    Here's a link. Scroll down and you will find the number of Marine Corps draftees to be in excess of 40,000.

    http://my.eiis.net/cmart/vietwarstats.html

    True Story: I received my draft notice in May of 1966. The local board was allowing us to enlist prior to induction. I enlisted in the Air Force and was told to report on my induction date and when my name was called to present the paperwork I had showing that I had enlisted in the AF. A long list of names was read off and when my name was not read, I spoke up and was told that my name was in the NEXT group of names to be read (a much smaller number) and these names were bound for the Marines.
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  • HokkmikeHokkmike Member Posts: 577 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My draft number was 3. I was classified 4F. But, volunteered for the USAF and got reclassified 1A. Amazing what different docs find!
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  • gunwhisperergunwhisperer Member Posts: 8 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I had a low draft number in 1972 and wanted to enlist in the Air Force as a Chaplain's Assistant. I passed all tests with flying colors, except the last where I was eye to eye with a high ranking Navy doctor. He said, classified 4F, go home son. I was deflated and asked him three times why. He finally said, because I had dry skin...

    Fast forward to 1976, I asked a recruiter again about this, he laughed and got a waiver. I enlisted and served in the electronics field. I've always felt like I got treated 2nd rate the first time around. Maybe they did me a favor.
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  • Flyin_PaulieFlyin_Paulie Member Posts: 857 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Funny how it works for some. I had intended to join the Marines in 1959. The Navy and Marine recruiting offices were across the hall from each other in Boise. I stuck my head in the Marine office-No one there, so I went across the hall and joined the Navy. After watching the Marines pound sand next to the Navy training center, I was thankful for how it worked out. I did almost ten years in the USN. Probably one of the better things I could have done.[:)]
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  • tacousmc667tacousmc667 Member Posts: 1 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am a Marine
    Born 1940.Registered for the draft 1958.Drafted 1965.I was taken by bus into LA,from Orange County.There were about 150 of us in a big hall.Then this Marine DI stood up and said that he wanted 86 volunteers in order to make up a platoon.He said that we would have basic training in San Diego.About 10 guys stood up.I figuered I was going to Viet Nam one way or the other so I might just as well go with the best training possible,and just as I started to stand up he called my name.
    In boot camp we were considered a draftee platoon #316.Graduated with an MOS of 1371(Combat Engineer).My instructors,Staff Sgt.Omstead,Sgt, Wilson,and Sgt. Dubner.These are three names that I will remember all my life.They taught me how to survive what ever came my way.
    GOD BLESS AMERICA-GOD BLESS MY MARINE CORPS.

    TACO/SEMPER-FI.
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  • joeaf1911a1joeaf1911a1 Member Posts: 2,962 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sorry guys for butting again on your part of the forum. Enlisted in the Army in '43 at age 17 and never recall having a draft card after WW 2
    or prior. However my dad, a Mex. border war vet of '16 and a WW 1 vet tried to enlist in early '42 and was not excepted at his age. So, he volunteered for the draft in WW 2 and was accepted finally in June 13 '42. He was born in Apr. 2 1897 and went into active duty in July 25
    1942 in the ETO. Still cant figure out how he managed to get in again
    at his age, but he did it. He had 6 years prior service prior to WW 2 from 1914 to 1920 . He was wounded in both WW 1 and WW 2 . I served as
    a Infantry rifleman and my brother as a Air Force Gunner, all of us in the ETO.
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  • Ray BRay B Member Posts: 11,822
    edited November -1
    Joe- my grandpa was a sgt in a unit down on the Mexican border during the Pancho Villa uprising. He was born in 1900, so would have been about 16-17 at the time. I don't think he went over the Atlantic, at least I never heard about it.
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