OT: for Seasoned Citizens only, what was your Selective Service lottery number?

[Thus Spoke Mainer]

and did it result in you getting drafted?

My birth year (1953) was the last year a lottery was held for. Got #11 . Was ready to drop out of PSU, waiting for the "Greetings" letter, when Pres. Nixon stopped the draft only a few months after the lottery.

 

[Nitwit]

185. I joined the reserves.

 

[FHSPSU67]

275. Have always admired anyone in uniform, but never enlisted, though I signed up for an Air Force commission at Lackland AFB. A bartender, John Hall at the Phyrst, convinced me to sign up shortly before we both graduated as EEs. I went thru the whole process including physicals, but since it was totally voluntary, I declined at the last minute to take a job in Cedar Rapids, IA. Have often wondered how it would have turned out had I taken "The Road Not Taken".

 

[Fayette_LION]

and did it result in you getting drafted?

My birth year (1953) was the last year a lottery was held for. Got #11 . Was ready to drop out of PSU, waiting for the "Greetings" letter, when Pres. Nixon stopped the draft only a few months after the lottery.

Was just getting out of Nam when they held the lottery. Too late for me.

 

[sluggo72]

and did it result in you getting drafted?

My birth year (1953) was the last year a lottery was held for. Got #11 . Was ready to drop out of PSU, waiting for the "Greetings" letter, when Pres. Nixon stopped the draft only a few months after the lottery.

I was born in '54 and I got a lottery number (in the 300's iirc) and I think they were still drafting when I was 18 (1972) .
upon further review I found this...
Draft lotteries were conducted again from 1971 to 1975 (for 1952 to 1956 births). The draft numbers issued from 1972 to 1975 were not used to call any men into service as the last draft call was on December 7, and authority to induct expired July 1, 1973.[8] They were used, however, to call some men born from 1953 to 1956 for armed forces physical examinations. The highest number called for a physical was 215 (for tables 1970 through 1976).[8] Between 1965 and 1972 the draft provided 2,215,000 service members to the U.S. military.[1]

 

[MrDibbs]

My birthday is September 15. In the first draft lottery, September 14 was #1 so thanks, Mom and Dad. for not rushing things back in 1949.

My actual draft number was 113 - just happened to be the number behind my name in the graduation program in June of 1971 that you gave to somebody as you exited the section in Beaver Stadium and that enabled the dean to give me my actual diploma. Must have been a coincidence.

During the term break between winter and spring terms back in 1971, I scoured the countryside and found an Army National Guard unit that needed people - enlisted in the National Guard in early May of 1971, graduated on June 15, started working for real on June 16 until July 7 and left for Fort Polk, LA, for basic training on July 8.

 

[Nitt1300]

4- I had a friend offer to get me into his Guard unit, but my dad and all of my uncles were vets, so I enlisted for active duty in the Navy and requested (and got) sea duty on a destroyer. Spent three years at sea, wouldn't trade that experience for the world.

 

[Obliviax]

is there a way to look it up?

 

[royboy]

223 for me, notices got up to 195 if I recall

 

[sluggo72]

is there a way to look it up?

www.duckduckgo.com is your friend

http://www.randomservices.org/random/data/Draft.html

 

[Thus Spoke Mainer]

is there a way to look it up?

https://www.sss.gov/About/History-And-Records/lotter1

 

[Obliviax]

www.duckduckgo.com is your friend

http://www.randomservices.org/random/data/Draft.html

yeah..thanks (and thanks for the snark as well). I am too young for that (love saying that). But, as I recall, the draft lottery kept going on a just in case basis. I could be wrong here. Googling it, I don't find any tables so perhaps it just ended.

 

[eidolon21]

born in 53 no. 46 drafted out of school in DEC 71 Army All The Way

 

[ForesterGump]

257. Draft was conducted until Oct, 1970, and Hbg was at 210. Had the draft been conducted in Nov & Dec, I would have been on the border of being drafted.

 

[Jayb48]

355

 

[Woodpecker]

41
As the cutoff was different for each local draft board, that was considered borderline at the time. My roommate got a 4. I was a freshman at Lehigh at the time and a bunch of us had to get on a bus up to Wilkes Barre to get our physicals. Funny thing: we were the only ones on the bus studying for a physics test on the way back. Good news was that they got rid of the draft that year so none of us had to go to the Shit.

 

[sluggo72]

yeah..thanks (and thanks for the snark as well). I am too young for that (love saying that). But, as I recall, the draft lottery kept going on a just in case basis. I could be wrong here. Googling it, I don't find any tables so perhaps it just ended.

the lottery ended as did the Selective Service System(draft), however men (not women) aged 18 are still required to register.

https://www.thoughtco.com/register-for-the-draft-3321313

 

[nits74]

39. Still had the college deferment. By the time I graduated President Nixon had ended the draft.

 

[Billieve]

Born in 1953 #256. Graduated from Penn State. Went to Pitt Medical School on a US military scholarship and then spent the next 8 years in the US Navy as an officer and physician.

 

[wex18]

#38, my senior year at PSU. While most of my classmates were going on job interviews, I was sure I'd get drafted and even talked to a Navy recruiter, hoping to get sent somewhere other than Vietnam. Then I dislocated my shoulder (for the second time) a week before my draft physical in New Cumberland, so all it took was a letter from Ritenour Health Center to get me out of the draft.

 

[step.eng69]

1969... (#180) college deferment
1970... (#276) had our second child ( Karen) reclassified 1A

 

[Psugraddad]

Born in ‘52. #289

 

[emrtmakesshiteup]

Was drafted the end of 69 as, I arrived in NAM in time to invade Cambodia, May of 70. If I recall my number was in the 70s! At that time I'd already been in a half dozen firefights. Initially thru our bad luck, we encountered NVA several times and garnered a reputation. The reputation resulted in numerous insertions when intel found hot spots. Thing was, because of attrition and casualties, NAM units had constant personnel changes, so how elite could we have been? It's kind of weird, but lately I've thought a lot about the shite I experienced. Folks died on my left and right, yet despite having a rocket propelled grenade hit a tree right next to me and flipping me (backward somersault) and ambushed to many times to count, in nine months in the jungle, I only ended up with a bunch of shrapnel. I attribute it to my guardian angel and my will to live, as if I would have perished it would have killed my parents! Some men kind of killed themselves too. One late afternoon we were setting up and someone saw movement. Our company commander, instead organizing a response, irresponsibly just says, "looks like we have to work for our supper boys!" and just takes off (It was a cluster f$%k) and loses his life. Another time, the guy next to me claims he sees movement after a firefight (he definitely did not, he was just a guy that liked to play war.). He throws a frag, hits a tree, bouncing back killing him. Most of the things I experienced I haven't even shared with my four children!

 

[Pizzaboy1]

The only lottery I every won was the 1971 military draft lottery.My birthday July 9,1951 was drawn first.I was a junior at Cal State of Pa at the time and had the college exemption.I still have my draft card with the numbers on it.

 

[Nittany Ziggy]

Was drafted the end of 69 as, I arrived in NAM in time to invade Cambodia, May of 70. If I recall my number was in the 70s! At that time I'd already been in a half dozen firefights. Initially thru our bad luck, we encountered NVA several times and garnered a reputation. The reputation resulted in numerous insertions when intel found hot spots. Thing was, because of attrition and casualties, NAM units had constant personnel changes, so how elite could we have been? It's kind of weird, but lately I've thought a lot about the shite I experienced. Folks died on my left and right, yet despite having a rocket propelled grenade hit a tree right next to me and flipping me (backward somersault) and ambushed to many times to count, in nine months in the jungle, I only ended up with a bunch of shrapnel. I attribute it to my guardian angel and my will to live, as if I would have perished it would have killed my parents! Some men kind of killed themselves too. One late afternoon we were setting up and someone saw movement. Our company commander, instead organizing a response, irresponsibly just says, "looks like we have to work for our supper boys!" and just takes off (It was a cluster f$%k) and loses his life. Another time, the guy next to me claims he sees movement after a firefight (he definitely did not, he was just a guy that liked to play war.). He throws a frag, hits a tree, bouncing back killing him. Most of the things I experienced I haven't even shared with my four children!

Thanks for sharing this and, of course, for your service!

 

[marshall23]

I was 148 born in 50. Coal Regions had plenty of volunteers, I never got called.

 

[Big 0]

Infinity.

I turned 18 in late December 1976, and therefore never had to sign up under the Selective Service Act. On March 29, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a proclamation (Terminating Registration Procedures Under Military Selective Service Act) which ended the registration requirement for all 18- to 25-year-old male citizens. However, on July 2nd, 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation, the Registration Under the Military Selective Service Act, as a response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, which retroactively re-established the Selective Service registration requirement for all 18- to 26-year-old male citizens born on or after January 1, 1960. Because of this, only men born between March 29, 1957, and December 31, 1959, were completely exempt from Selective Service registration.

 

[Lion78]

Born in '56. Got number 31 in 1974 but it was moot by then.

 

[Bob78]

Born in '56, number was 125ish (cannot recall exactly but that is close) in 1974.
Status 1H - active draft into service had ended by that time.

 

[JoeFi]

4- I had a friend offer to get me into his Guard unit, but my dad and all of my uncles were vets, so I enlisted for active duty in the Navy and requested (and got) sea duty on a destroyer. Spent three years at sea, wouldn't trade that experience for the world.

Hi NIT 1300 ,

I joined Navy because I was going to be drafted. I thought I rather be in Navy and see the world. It worked out as a great experience for me.
I went to PSU on GI bill after Navy. In hindsight it was just what I needed at the time.
Served on USS Nitro, an ammunition supply ship.
Were you ever in Yorktown? Are you aware of Nicks Seaside Pavilion in Yorktown?

 

[phillybillyreprise]

4F thanks to a high school football injury to my knee. Found my draft card this past summer.
Brother had just returned from Viet Nam and his stories lessened any want to join the military.

 

[Strick73]

Born in 1951. Lottery number was 276.

 

[HazletonLion]

194, Wanted to join SEABEES , had to wait 1 1/2 years, joined Air Force , made me a Heavy Equipment Operator , ended up training with the Navy at SEABEE school , Port Hueneme Cal. anyway go figure . I didn't choose this field, highest score was electronics. I had no issue with being drafted just didn't want to hang around and wait, plus if you were 1 A forget about employment.

When you go for your physical , i went to Wilkes - Barre, you know it's some serious stuff going down.

 

[Uh Clem]

Born in 50, I was 107 in the first lottery. They were going to 190 that year and my grades were only iffy so i joined the National Guard in February 1970 and went to boot camp 5 days after Kent State. Spent 6 years as a Huey mechanic and then crew chief, but returned to school after my 6 months active duty. Graduated a year after my original class. Went on for an MBA a few years later.

 

[olelion]

209. Selective service number was 36 3 48 410

 

[PSUJivo]

Born in ‘50, draft number was the same as my football jersey, 81. Joined the Navy in 71 and worked in Special Programs for the Naval Security Group in the Philippines and Germany. After I got out I worked for a defense contractor and went back to school at PSU, BS Computer Science. Worked in the Intelligence Community for 18 more years. The Navy helped me get my act together and find a career.

 

[eddo]

born in 53.. My # was 365. dead last.. My Grandmother would have drafted before me.

 

[Nitt1300]

Hi NIT 1300 ,

I joined Navy because I was going to be drafted. I thought I rather be in Navy and see the world. It worked out as a great experience for me.
I went to PSU on GI bill after Navy. In hindsight it was just what I needed at the time.
Served on USS Nitro, an ammunition supply ship.
Were you ever in Yorktown? Are you aware of Nicks Seaside Pavilion in Yorktown?

I remember the Nitro- she was at the ammo pier in Earle NJ one time when we were re-arming after being in drydock for repairs. Never was in Yorktown, but got into Hampton Roads a couple of times- our home port was Newport.

I imagine the workload on an ammo ship like the Nitro was no joke.

 

[JoeFi]

Hi NIT 1300 ,

I joined Navy because I was going to be drafted. I thought I rather be in Navy and see the world. It worked out as a great experience for me.
I went to PSU on GI bill after Navy. In hindsight it was just what I needed at the time.
Served on USS Nitro, an ammunition supply ship.
Were you ever in Yorktown? Are you aware of Nicks Seaside Pavilion in Yorktown?

I remember the Nitro- she was at the ammo pier in Earle NJ one time when we were re-arming after being in drydock for repairs. Never was in Yorktown, but got into Hampton Roads a couple of times- our home port was Newport.

I imagine the workload on an ammo ship like the Nitro was no joke.

Yes we were in Earle, NJ before being deployed to the Pacific.
We would load with armaments in Subic Bay and replenish ships while cruising the Vietnam coast, then back to Subic Bay to reload.

 

[lionville]

I was born in ‘56 and when I turned 18 in June of ‘74 there was no draft and so I didn’t register. Needless to say, I got a letter from Uncle Sam asking why. I don’t remember what I told them but that was pretty much the end of it.