George, Virginia, 1972. No. 85: The Joking DJ

I remember sitting in my parents family room listening to what my future would be on WRFK public radio in Richmond Va. I had always felt lucky and I was sure that day would be no different. When my birthday was pulled at No. 85, well I lost my mind. The next thing I...

Benjamin, TN, 1969. No. 96: Six Generations

I grew up in Maysville KY, son of a family practice physician, who graduated from UK in 1942 and went to UL Medical School through the US Army in a three year program with only 2 weeks vacation each summer.  My Dad had told my brother and me that we would serve...

Ken, Kentucky, 1969. No. 036: Loss of Appetite

I had been ‘drafted’ a year earlier in 1968 as I completed my senior year of college. I had gotten married that summer, and was immediately ‘greeted’ for a chance at exotic travel and adventure (in Vietnam).  My new wife started...

Steve, Kentucky, 1969. No. 199: Obligation In My Blood

To me, this is an interesting project. I either never knew or had long forgotten my lottery number. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the lottery, given that I apparently escaped the draft by the skin of my teeth.As an engineering student at the...

Mike, Ohio, 1969. No. 289: One Hard Course

I was a student at the University of Kentucky when the draft occurred. My best friend, Dick Hitt, got the lottery number 2. He went right out and enlisted in the Air Force. He spent 6 months at Lackland Airforce base in Texas, and 3 and one-half years in Hawaii. No...

John, Ohio, 1969. No. 72: No Regrets

I recall sitting around with my fraternity brothers listening to the balls being drawn in December 1969.  It seems like a distant memory.  My number came up quite early although it was not the first one drawn within my peer group. It was a strange...