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Draft
tapwater
Member Posts: 10,335 ✭✭✭
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.
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.
Comments
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.
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.
Okay what is 4f?
Physically or mentally unfit.
Anyone know what years there was no draft registration? JW.....
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.