] [Thread] [Date] [Author]

["Bill Polhemus" <bill(--nospam--at)polhemus.cc>]

Title: 1970

How coincidental, Stan!

 

Though that lottery occurred when I was but 12 years of age (summer of '70), I vividly remember watching the first birthdate going up (they put big stickers with the dates on them in numbered spaces on a big board).

 

The first date selected was...September 14th--MY BIRTHDAY!!!!

 

Well, I was only 12, but the Vietnam Conflict had been going on as long as I could remember, and I saw no reason to expect that it wouldn't continue to be so. And I just KNEW that as soon as I turned 18 in five years and a little change from that time, I would belong to UNCLE!

Fortunately, we went to the All-Volunteer Force by the time I turned 18 years old, and all I had to worry about was going to the sleepy little selective service office and registering at that time!

 

Yes, 1970 was a memorable one, even for one primarily occupied with the process of puberty as I was at that time!

William L. Polhemus, Jr., P.E.
Polhemus Engineering Company
Katy, Texas
Phone 281-492-2251
Fax 281-492-8203
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Caldwell, Stan [mailto:scaldwell(--nospam--at)halff.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 15, 2001 4:26 PM
To: 'seaint(--nospam--at)seaint.org'
Subject: 1970

Dear Youthful Scott:

Just then, Nixon's first draft lottery occurred, and my birthday gloriously placed me at #322 in the draft queue and thereby kept me out of Viet Nam.