General Discussion

winstars

(4,220 posts)

77. Thanks for the memories of this time.... Seems sooooooo long ago...

Sun Apr 7, 2024, 03:02 AM

Apr 7

I was 13 in 1970 but remember the draft for all my friends older brothers, some who went, some not to return home...

Friends who got into trouble with the cops, having to see the judge and the judge saying either join the service or go to jail.
Lots of guys going to Canada...
How about the approved practice of sports stars and rich kids joining the National Guard to serve on weekends and still play their respective sports.
What Dubya did with the Texas Air National Guard was what lot of rich kids did, no biggie...
Avoiding the draft with bone spurs in your feet was normal stuff....
A different time...........

Looking at that chart up top is even now pretty jarring... Fuck!!! I would have had to go!!!!!!!!

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

92 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Who here watched LIVE for their birthday to be drawn for the Vietnam draft. [View all] underpants Apr 6 OP

I was the first year after the last lottery. Never had a number. CincyDem Apr 6 #1

I remember watching but was I was barely too young at the time to qualify. chicoescuela Apr 6 #2

The family watched it for my brother blogslug Apr 6 #3

Yes indeed. CCExile Apr 6 #4

I watched it and later became a draft counselor. Ping Tung Apr 6 #5

Watched in trepidation zeusdogmom Apr 6 #6

I was in that first lottery draw calguy Apr 6 #7

I served with some tankers in the early 90's who did that underpants Apr 6 #28

My number was 69 in 74 but they never called Fichefinder Apr 6 #8

Draft ended January, '73. Only about 70 were drafted in that month. louis-t Apr 6 #43

I was 1A Bmoboy Apr 6 #9

Me! Grins Apr 6 #10

Cussed his parents out. underpants Apr 6 #26

I was 19 and we watched it GP6971 Apr 6 #11

My number was 38. grumpyduck Apr 6 #12

Scared the absolute shit out of me. rubbersole Apr 6 #13

I watched it in Germany - I didn't speak German so... Brother Buzz Apr 6 #14

We listened on the radio crazylikafox Apr 6 #15

My boyfriend, now husband cksmithy Apr 6 #16

287 gab13by13 Apr 6 #17

Me jpak Apr 6 #18

This message was self-deleted by its author AllaN01Bear Apr 6 #19

College senior, in class........ MyOwnPeace Apr 6 #20

I just escaped being eligible to be drafted LetMyPeopleVote Apr 6 #21

That was one scary evening. Paladin Apr 6 #22

My number was 26. Ptah Apr 6 #23

Was the bus waiting for you outside your house? underpants Apr 6 #25

I enlisted in the USAF before the bus got there. Ptah Apr 6 #42

I had a couple of buddies with low numbers enlist in the Navy before the draft could get them. Midnight Writer Apr 6 #60

Me. I had already lost my beloved cousin and 2 high school buddies in Vietnam. BamaRefugee Apr 6 #24

Birminghamian here Stuckinthebush Apr 6 #44

so glad to hear that! BamaRefugee Apr 6 #54

TY for your backstory. Altho my best friend is Southern to her bones, we met at University of Hawai'i... Hekate Apr 6 #66

Fantastic stories Easterncedar Apr 7 #78

Yes I did. That number was..... 2 nt justaprogressive Apr 6 #27

127 - rumor was going up to 150 in Chicagoland area. NoMoreRepugs Apr 6 #29

I did as a senior in college. Got a high enough number too. Sneederbunk Apr 6 #30

No, but I got up very early the next morning to find a newspaper. rsdsharp Apr 6 #31

For most of us in the lottery it was life and death Doc Sportello Apr 6 #32

As some who have already said that it was terrifying to go through this draft process, I can confirm, that YES, it SWBTATTReg Apr 6 #33

I remember watching with friends in high school that had high numbers. It was awful. flying_wahini Apr 6 #34

I remember my boyfriends buddy was picked at number 11. He chopped his big toe off with an ax flying_wahini Apr 6 #35

Man, I'm glad I didn't turn 18 in 1970. 015. louis-t Apr 6 #36

I always thought the draft board was a group of people Mosby Apr 6 #37

I was in it. Never got called up. dchill Apr 6 #38

Ask girls/women of childbearing age. ariadne0614 Apr 7 #88

Was in 1971 draft lottery and got over 300. PufPuf23 Apr 6 #39

I was already in and out of boot camp before I turned 18... Wounded Bear Apr 6 #40

Or for boyfriends' numbers or young male relatives'. tblue37 Apr 6 #41

189 for me, February 17. LastDemocratInSC Apr 6 #45

Watched with and for my brother Freddie Apr 6 #46

I didn't have to go through this, MarineCombatEngineer Apr 6 #47

As I posted above underpants Apr 6 #48

Got me BEFORE the lottery HAB911 Apr 6 #49

I was number 23. former9thward Apr 6 #50

Trump would have gotten 356 NameAlreadyTaken Apr 6 #51

I was conscripted before there was a lottery (NT) The Wizard Apr 6 #52

218 - and, yes, I watched it. I made myself 1-A and watched it climb up to 195. NBachers Apr 6 #53

My draft year was 1969 gladium et scutum Apr 6 #55

No, I was drafted in 1966, before the lottery was instituted. Glorfindel Apr 6 #56

Like HAB911, I got drafted before the lottery existed. JustABozoOnThisBus Apr 6 #57

Good deal! HAB911 Apr 6 #58

I was in the Student Union, listening to the college station (as was everyone else) Conjuay Apr 6 #59

Yeah I did...joined anyway didn't want to be a draftee.. MiHale Apr 6 #61

Shout-out to Donald Trump (bone spurs), Ted Nugent (shit his pants before the physical), Midnight Writer Apr 6 #62

Can't find anything in that but I don't doubt it underpants Apr 6 #64

My brother did, at a party Maeve Apr 6 #63

I did not know it had been televised. Must have been a scary time riversedge Apr 6 #65

My time was before the lottery. I was in boot camp six months before the draft would have grabbed me. keithbvadu2 Apr 6 #67

I was only three at the time so this obviously did not involve me. Xavier Breath Apr 6 #68

I watched the first draft with a group of guys in my dorm. davepdx Apr 6 #69

My husband had a super low number Tree Lady Apr 6 #70

Watched in a student-packed bar in moonscape Apr 6 #71

I was too young to be drafted, but I remember watching the lottery. LudwigPastorius Apr 6 #72

my uncle enlisted + was an MP.he got lucky. pansypoo53219 Apr 7 #73

Didn't watch it live B.See Apr 7 #74

I listened on radio in 1970 GoodRaisin Apr 7 #75

Sounds like a good move. B.See Apr 7 #76

Thanks for the memories of this time.... Seems sooooooo long ago... winstars Apr 7 #77

I watched for my brother. My mother was prepared to fund him to move to Canada fierywoman Apr 7 #79

What a great post. Easterncedar Apr 7 #80

Kicking for the vets democrank Apr 7 #81

Our entire family watched for my brother in 1971 iwillalwayswonderwhy Apr 7 #82

I was ;istening on the radio in my car for 1971 Poiuyt Apr 7 #83

Not for my number NanaCat Apr 7 #84

For my boyfriend catrose Apr 7 #85

Since I had a IIS (student deferment) I forgot to watch it or was doing something else. Liberal In Texas Apr 7 #86

My dad turned 18 in '71. Elessar Zappa Apr 7 #87

I did. I drew a 30 -- Yikes! Taraman Apr 7 #89

I enlisted on my 18th birthday April 7, 1969. Emile Apr 7 #90

Went to a UNC basketball game instead unc70 Apr 7 #91

I did not. I was already in uniform. Stinky The Clown Apr 7 #92