Tracy, North Carolina, 1969. No. 215: Betting Pool

My roommates, suitemates and I all put $5 in a hat with the lowest number winning the pot (the money that is) The 9 of us all gathered around the TV for the "big" drawing. My number was 215. I don’t remember when the number was drawn. I just remember...

Richard, North Carolina, 1969. The "Other Side".

I remember it as a tense time.  I had a student deferment and was in the 1st semester of my sophmore year.  I did not want to be drafted out of college but did not object to military service.  I was not opposed to the War in Vietnam and did not support...

Bill, Georgia, 1969. No. 140: National Guard–Not So Fast!

Right after the lottery drawing, my roomate and I decided we would go to Greensboro and take the civil service exam to join the NC National Guard. My number was 140, and my roomate’s was 100, and we knew that we would probably be drafted as soon as we graduated....

Jim, Florida, 1969. No. 97: Air Force ROTC and the Palace Option

I was a sophomore at Chapel Hill when that lottery was held. I remember it as though it occurred yesterday. I have often thought about how that one evening changed so many lives.I was in a fraternity at the time, and several of us who were in the lottery had gone down...

Tom, North Carolina, 1969. No. 366 meets No. 1

I attended a Tar Heel basketball game the night of the first lottery . When I returned to my fraternity house I learned that my birthdate was the last pulled out of the basket ( June 8th ) Went out drinking with friends to celebrate and sat next to a guy at the bar...

Jay, North Carolina, 1969. No. 171: Coast Guard

I graduated from The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.  I think my Lottery Number was 171.  After graduation I worked for six months for Julius Garfinckel’s in...