How did draft work during Vietnam War?
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.
How many drafts were there for the Vietnam War?
Conflict and Number of Inductions
| World War I | Sept. 1917 – Nov. 1918 | 2,810,296 |
|---|---|---|
| World War II | Nov. 1940 – Oct. 1946 | 10,110,104 |
| Korean War | June 1950 – June 1953 | 1,529,539 |
| Vietnam War | Aug. 1964 – Feb. 1973 | 1,857,304 |
What numbers were called in the Vietnam draft?
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.
Who was exempt from Vietnam draft?
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 old were draftees in Vietnam?
Lottery for Call of Order 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.
How did men avoid being drafted to Vietnam?
For young men like Jim Vacarella, the draft stood as the prime symbol of the war in Vietnam. Millions of young men tried to evade the draft: some fled to Canada; many feigned physical or mental illness, others used family connections to gain safe positions in the National Guard.