“What did they say? I couldn’t understand,” the young wife said.
She looked at her husband, her mother, and her younger brothers, who were all staring at the television with a bewildered look.
Her husband just shook his head and said, “I think that was it. My number just came up.” He reached back and felt his ponytail as if wondering how much longer it would be there. But he continued to listen. She turned her attention back to the television.
There was total silence in this room and on the streets. It was as if even the dogs and night birds knew to be quiet. For one night their little world was completely different.
The next blue capsule was pulled from a large glass container, and so it went, three hundred and sixty six times. The number of people affected, uncounted. All males born from 1944 to 1950 and their families, all glued to the television to see their fate. It was December 1, 1969, and Mayberry RFD had been preempted for “The Random Selection Sequence, 1970.”
“Number 315, September 30. September 30 is number 315.” The announcement caused the little family to jump and yell.
“Way down the line!” the young husband shouted. “I’m safe!”
When all the numbers were put up at the end, December 30 was the third number drawn, and they all had thought it was September 30. The time from the third capsule to the 315th capsule had seemed interminable to them. Two of them had already been thinking of Canada.
Approximately 850,000 young men aged nineteen to twenty-six learned their fates that night by way of television or radio. The Selective Service had estimated that the lowest one-third would probably be drafted, the upper one-third probably not. Numbers one through 195 would report for induction in 1970, the first lottery in twenty-seven years. It would continue until June 30, 1973.
The VietNam War resulted in the deaths of 58,220 Americans. Approximately 2400 are missing in action, and another 75,000 disabled.
And War, War, what was it good for?
I recall getting a draft card on or around 1961 and being classified S1 because I was a college student. One of our fellow freshman that year was called up as part of the Washington State reserve by President Kennedy and shocked to hear that he would have to leave his college education behind. After I was paralyzed in 1963 I remember being reclassified as 1Y which meant that I was basically "unfit" to serve in my draft board forgot about me.
I remember a neighbor who told me that he was drafted into the Navy (or he joined to avoid being drafted into the Army) in 1966 and my brother-in-law who was drafted because his farm did not produce enough and struck the deal to go to Germany but I don't know, exactly when that was… I think about 1965 or 66.
I was teaching at a university in December 1970. Perhaps because all the students had S1 deferments, that's why I don't recall waiting to see what the numbers were. It's a time that I have no historical memory of.
On the other hand I'm with Jan and Jane and realize how fruitless and devastating that whole escapade was for everyone. Absolutely nothin'.
Interesting story, Lark. I wonder, though. I received my draft notice in August or September of 1966 (while I was serving on Vietnam's DMZ) - my shipmates said, 'ignore it, what are they gonna do, send you to Vietnam?' - I'd already been in the military 8 years by then. And I agree with Jane.
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