Paul, New Jersey, 1969. Blood Sugar and Cross-Dressers

I was at the University of Maryland, considering graduate work in math or history, and my number — which I do not remember — made it certain I would be drafted. I volunteered instead, hopefully for the army foreign language training program (Chinese, but...

Robert, Australia, 1969. No. 139: A Maturing Event

In March of 1968 I dutifully signed up with the Selective Service  as all 18 year old males had to do at that time. Realizing then that there was potential to end up in the military was sobering enough.When the draft lottery came around I was a carefree student...

Peter, California, 1969. No. 303: Letters From The Outpost

When plans for the lottery were announced, we were all nervous. Some of the kids in my dorm immediately filed for CO status, and their local draft boards in Wisconsin almost as quickly turned them down. Others sought medical deferments–or in some cases tried to...

Ed, Wisconsin, 1969. No. 150: Clara Critter's Quota

I was living on Regent Street in Madison, WI as an undergrad at the UW on December 1, 1969, huddling around a radio with my five roommates listening to the drawing. I was the first one out, at number 150. Everyone else was well into the 200s, with a couple in the...

Fred, Wisconsin, 1969. No. 333: Combinations of Three

A good friend and I were at a Wisconsin basketball game the night of the lottery.  As I recall the Badgers won the game, and it wasn’t until we got back to our dorm room in Ogg Hall that we learned the results of the lottery.  I entered my dorm...