Chuck, Alabama, 1969. No. 219: Embrace The Challenges

I grew up in the Atlanta area and graduated from Marist, a private Catholic military high school at the time. The grades were, frankly, average but I was expected to attend college, any college, to have a chance at success in business and life in general.I enrolled at...

Claude, 1969. No. 037: First SOB With Nothing Wrong

I had number 37 drawn for me, but I had a student deferment as I was in college. I graduated from college December 1970. Got my notice for my physical the latter part of January–they said to bring my suitcase because when I passed the physical I was...

Steve, California, 1972. No. 338: Delayed Delivery

I was born January 5, 1953, but according to my dad I was supposed to be born earlier. My folks told me that in late December 1952, my dad took my mom out for a drive on a very rough and bumpy dirt road in an attempt to start labor. I didn’t budge, and waited...

Jim, Kentucky, 1969. No. 359: Watching Over Me

My story actually begins in the fall of 1965.  After graduating high school in 1964 and attending UK School of Architecture for one year, not applying myself at school, flunking out, then sitting out the fall semester of 1965, I was then drafted into...

John, New Jersey, 1969. No. 059: The Bar Next Door

I was in a college town when the lottery was held.  I saw the numbers listed on an Associated Press teletype that had been set up in a downtown storefront.  Fortunately, the store was next to a college bar which soon had an overflowing crowd.  I kept my...

George, Massachusetts, 1969. No. 049: Looking Back

The lottery changed my life forever. In 1969 I was a senior in high school and the Vietnam War was very hot. The neighborhood hero was an Air Force pilot who was shot down and killed over North Vietnam. My girlfriend’s only brother stepped on a mine and was...