What birthdays were called for the Vietnam draft?

A lottery drawing – the first since 1942 – was held on December 1, 1969, at Selective Service National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. This event determined the order of call for induction during calendar year 1970; that is, for registrants born between January 1, 1944, and December 31, 1950.


Was the draft done by birthday?

Draft-age men were assigned a number between one and 366, depending on their birthday. The lowest numbers were called first. This was all entirely at random. Of course, that didn't stop some of those who were called to service from further avoiding Selective Service.

At what age were you drafted for Vietnam War?

Before the lottery was implemented in the latter part of the Vietnam conflict, there was no system in place to determine order of call besides the fact that men between the ages of 18 and 26 were vulnerable to being drafted. Local boards called men classified 1-A, 18-1/2 through 25 years old, oldest first.


How did the birthday draft work?

The lottery would establish the priority of call based on the birth dates of registrants. The first men drafted would be those turning age 20 during the calendar year of the lottery. For example, if a draft were held in 2020, those men born in 2000 would be considered first.

Did they draft by birthday for Vietnam?

On Dec. 1, 1969, the United States held its first draft lottery, which gave young men a random number corresponding to their birthdays. Men with lower numbers were called first and told to report to induction centers where they could be ordered into active duty and possibly sent to the Vietnam War.


The Vietnam War Draft of 1969 - US 101



How do I find out my draft number?

Check Your Selective Service Registration

The letter and card are your Selective Service proof of registration. If you do not receive the letter and card within 90 days, call 1-847-688-6888 and follow the prompts. Choose the option for receiving your own Selective Service number.

Who was exempt from the Vietnam draft?

College and graduate students who, almost by definition, were neither poor nor people of color, were given draft exemptions. However, poor and disadvantaged men not in college were drafted at higher rates and were consequently injured and killed at higher rates.

What birth years did not have to register for the draft?

Men born from March 29, 1957 through December 31, 1959, were not required to register with the Selective Service System because the registration program was suspended when they would have reached age 18.


Who got drafted for Vietnam?

On December 1, 1969, the Selective Service System of the United States conducted two lotteries to determine the order of call to military service in the Vietnam War in the year 1970, for men born from January 1, 1944 to December 31, 1950.

Who Cannot be drafted?

WHO ARE EXEMPT FROM THE DRAFT?
  • The Vice-President of the United States, the Judges of the various Courts of the Untied States, the heads of the various executive departments of the Government, and the Governors of the several States.
  • The only son liable to military duty of a widow dependent upon his labor for support.


What is the oldest you can be drafted to war?

At what age can you no longer be drafted? Once you're 26, you're exempt from being drafted ... kind of. "There's historical precedent for extending that age," Winkie says before noting that in August 1918, during World War I, the age limit was amended to 45.


How long did a drafted soldier have to serve in Vietnam?

Only 20-25% of draftees served in Vietnam. The rest were either stationed stateside or sent to Europe to free up volunteer soldiers to serve in Vietnam. Conscription was for 2 years. The first year was for Basic Training followed by Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) training at a branch School.

What was the first birthday to be drawn during the draft lottery of 1969?

The order in which their birthdays were drawn from the bin would determine the order in which those young men would be drafted. First chosen = First to serve. Congressman Alexander Pernie, of New York, drew the first number: "September 14th … 001."

How were people picked for the draft?

Officials would draw numbers similar to drawing numbers for a lottery. If your birthdate is the first one drawn, you are the first to be drafted. Normally, officials have a cutoff number based on the needs of the military. For example, during the 1969 draft lottery, men born between Jan.


Were college students drafted in Vietnam?

The large cohort of Baby Boomers allowed for a steep increase in the number of exemptions and deferments, especially for college and graduate students. More than half of the 27 million men eligible for the draft during the Vietnam War were deferred, exempted or disqualified.

How do I know if I'm registered for the draft?

Every man who is registered with the Selective Service System will receive a registration acknowledgement letter with a registration card in the mail from Selective Service within 90 days of registering. This is proof of your registration and can be used when applying for: state-based aid in 31 states. federal jobs.

At what age am I exempt from the draft?

Almost all male US citizens and male immigrants, who are 18 through 25, are required to register with Selective Service.


Can you refuse to be drafted?

Today, all conscientious objectors are required to register with the Selective Service System. A conscientious objector is one who is opposed to serving in the armed forces and/or bearing arms on the grounds of moral or religious principles.

Which son is exempt from the draft?

Is he exempt from registration and the draft? No. the “only son”, “the last son to carry the family name,” and ” sole surviving son” must register with Selective Service. These sons can be drafted.

How many US citizens were drafted in Vietnam?

The military draft brought the war to the American home front. During the Vietnam War era, between 1964 and 1973, the U.S. military drafted 2.2 million American men out of an eligible pool of 27 million.


Do college students get drafted?

At this present time, American college students that are 18 or over and registered with the U.S. Selective Service will not be drafted. The last draft ended in 1973 and is not needed at this time since the all volunteer U.S. military is doing fine and does not need the extra bodies ….

What was the highest draft number called in 1971?

The highest lottery number called for this group was 125; all men assigned that lottery number or any lower number, and who were classified as available for military service, were called to report for possible induction. N71 gives the results of the lottery held on August 5, 1971, for men born in 1952.

How can I find my grandfather's draft card?

These nearly 38 million cards are available at Ancestry.com. See https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238/ for details. Post-WWII through Vietnam Era Selective Service Records: The National Archives - St. Louis maintains Selective Service Records for this time period for all men born before 1960.


What was the highest number drafted in 1973?

The top number, 365, was matched with July 23. The numbers and dates had been placed in the capsules according to a table of random numbers provided by the National Bureau of Standards.