Patrick, California, 1969. No. 053: Behind Tricia Nixon

My student deferment ran out in 1970, when I was immediatly classified I-A and received  instructions to report for an induction physical.  I went immediatly to the Army enlistment office and signed on for a program called Warrant Officer Flight.  I...

Dwyte, Kentucky, 1969. No. 254: Heart In Kentucky

My part of the story starts in Chicago although my heart was in Kentucky.  The lottery occurred two days after I married the love of my life.  I was in my fraternity house at Northwestern and my wife was in the dorm at Kentucky.  We had not talked about...

Patrick, California, 1969. No. 125: On The Bus

My deferrment as a UK student was up in May of 1971 and I received a "Greetings" letter from the draft board about a week prior to the end of that semester. I had to report to their office in Lexington early one morning and board a bus with about 40...

Bobby, Tennessee, 1969. No. 366: Used Up All My Luck

I was enrolled in ROTC at Kentucky, getting ready to sign up for the advanced program with a 6 year active duty commitment.  I sure could use the $50 a month it would pay me during my junior and senior years!  I figured I was going into the military as...

Larry, Kentucky, 1969. No. 362: Colonel Sanders' Advice

I remember very clearly the night of the first lottery.  I was out drinking beer with a few friends and when I arrived back to my apartment my mother called and told me that my number was 362.  She was very excited that I would not have to go to the...

Paul, Kentucky, 1969. No. 192: Brief Encounter With The Military

I truly enjoyed my experience in graduate school at UK. Great teachers, wonderful basketball games, and lots of research papers for this English major. Working part-time at Kennedy’s bookstore was a plus, financially and socially. It was about the only social...