He was a fitting symbol of the tens of thousands of - preponderantly, it seemed, the disadvantaged youths who had no alternative - who were called to serve. 86.3% of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasian (includes Hispanics); 12.5% (7,241) were black; 1.2% belonged to other races. The Viet Cong, increasingly aided by North Vietnamese regulars infiltrating south, were … Were draftees ever sent to Vietnam with only 2 weeks of training? The 2nd Infantry Division's public affairs office at Camp Red Cloud in South Korea says Chief Warrant Officer 5 Ralph Rigby's retirement ceremony was held Oct. 28, his 62nd birthday. The Cold War found American troops posted to desolate and isolated hot spots around the world, including Vietnam. 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. How long was Basic Training during the Vietnam War? Most did their two years and left, but Sgt. If canon fodder was needed they would be selected at random for 2 years service. Significant draft avoidance was taking place even before the U.S. became heavily involved in the Vietnam War.The large cohort of Baby Boomers allowed for a steep increase in the number of exemptions and deferments, especially for college and graduate students. They still are. Mellinger was drafted to fight the Vietnam War, and the Army believes he's the last draftee to retire, after 39 years. 9,374 116 3. The 15,900 men due to be inducted during the last quarter will bring this year's draft total to about 50,000. So on April 18, 1972, he donned a military uniform and prepared … When Command Sgt. He’s believed to be the Army’s last continuously serving draftee. Maj. Jeff Mellinger retires as the last Vietnam-era draftee By Kimberly Hefling The Associated Press Appeared in print: Monday, July 4, … Results for Men Facing the Draft in 1971 . It was March 29, 1973, in Saigon. The U.S. military says a central New York native has retired as the Army's last Vietnam-era draftee. 06/28/2013 05:08 AM EDT. Eadie Harley ??? I was a draftee in 1967 and after spending one year in the US was reassigned to the 9th Infantry Division late in 1968. According to peace studies scholar David Cortright, more … One could say live in Mexico or Canada and pass weekly via the border and nobody checked any list. Those branches of service sent relatively few servicemen to the Vietnam combat zone. 170,000 Hispanics served in … “Last Draftees” co-authors Vietnam veteran Robert Foust, left, and Keith Rogers, a former RJ reporter, are seen in their "writing cave", at Rogers home in Las Vegas on Friday, Sept. 11, 2020. mekongmike. Maj. Jeff Mellinger got a draft card in the mail at his home in Eugene, Oregon , 39 years ago, the military wasn't exactly a popular option -or one he desired. Maj . Draft took him from Eugene to an army life After 39 years in the military, Command Sgt. Most did their two years and left. Chief Warrant Officer 5 Ralph Rigby, 62, was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1972 when he was 19 years old. A native of Auburn in Cayuga County, Rigby was drafted in 1972. And Master Sgt. (The draft policy to draft slightly older men was probably done for two reasons: one, it avoided drafting people who might still be in high school due to late birthdays and having possibly dropped back a year. It was funny. It called for the registration of all 18-26 year old males with induction to take place at 18 1/2 if so ordered by the local draft board. A friend of mine insists that some of his friends were sent to war without adequate training, specifically only 2 weeks. Post Jul 04, 2011 #1 2011-07-05T03:49. 9,374 116 3. Last year's draft reached lottery No. I know draftees who were sent there, then stateside, then Vietnam. 1969 Draft Lottery during the Vietnam War Vietnam draft lottery focused on 19 year old men December 1, 1969 was the first draft lottery held since 1942, during World War II. My draft "Induction" notice via "Selective Service" was sent to my college where I had left, then to my mother then forwarded to me: in Vietnam. This determined the order in which men born in 1951 were called to report for induction into the military Last man drafted: June 30, 1973. For the past 42 years he has remained on active duty serving in several positions and traveling to many different countries as a part of his commitment to service. He modestly shrugs off his claim to fame as the last of a generation torn apart by the Vietnam War, a generation that glorified draft-card burning and flight to … Maj. Jeff Mellinger was retiring as the service's last Vietnam-era draftee. Stone, the last draftee, was inducted into the United States Army on June 30, 1973. Though the government has not required military service since then, all men currently living in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 25 must register with the Selective Service System so that the government will have an idea of the population available in … President John F. Kennedy, who began the escalation of the American military presence in Vietnam, also defended the peacetime draft and the Selective Service in 1962 statement, stating that “I cannot think of any branch of our government in the last two decades where there have been so few complaints about inequity.” One year later, the Pentagon acknowledged the usefulness of conscription, because one … I know this because I found myself in that exact “predicament” right after I was Drafted(Conscripted) in 1970. Some whom Cook approached for … Member. A large glass container held 366 blue plastic balls containing every possible birth date that affected men between 18 and 26 years … How long was Basic Training during … Last Vietnam Era Draftee Finally Retires Command Sgt. Since its adoption in 1951 at the time of the Korean War, it had been renewed by Congress every 4 years. Maj. Jeff Mellinger was retiring as the service’s last Vietnam-era draftee. This drawing determined the order of induction for men born between January 1, 1944 and December 31, 1950. He had survived two wars, Korea and Vietnam. Race and Ethnic Background 88.4% of the men who actually served in Vietnam were Caucasian; 10.6% (275,000) were black; 1% belonged to other races. I asked my Infantry Battalion Co permission to report for the draft. The draft policy at the time of the V'nam War was called the Universal Mili Training & Service Act. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter issued a blanket pardon for all draft-dodgers from the Vietnam era who had not committed a violent crime. Man believed to be last Vietnam-era draftee set to retire after 39 years. Today, he is known as the last continuously serving draftee on active duty in the U.S. Army.WHERE IT ALL BEGANAs a young boy, Rigby always had a love for vehicles. Band training was 6 months in Little Creek, VA. When his draft notice arrived in 1972, tens of thousands of troops had been killed. For most of the war, all young men at age 18 were required to register for the draft. Draft resistance in the United States reached its peak during the Vietnam War. 125. “It was never done before,” Cook said. Draftees in Vietnam by: Anonymous When considering the number of draftees (AUS) vs volunteers (RA)serving in Vietnam I think it prudent to consider each year of the war as a separate entity. The draft ended in 1973 when the Richard M. Nixon administration created an all-volunteer military. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter. Draft evasion in the Vietnam War was a common practice in Australia and the United States. mekongmike. That same year, President Lyndon B. Johnson faced a crucial decision as he grappled with the growing crisis in Vietnam. If you made it to 25 you were free and clear. Max Beilke was officially designated as the last American combat soldier to leave Vietnam. The last military draft in the United States (U.S.) was during the Vietnam War and resulted in protests that helped engender anti-war sentiment. Mellinger was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, and the Army believes he’s the last draftee to retire, after 39 years. The answer you’ve already received from Norman Owen is quite correct. He told officials he had a job, he didn't need a new one. Mellinger, who's now 58, says he loves being a soldier. In July 2011, the Army announced that Command Sgt. Last possible Vietnam Draftee Retires -=- Eugene, Oregon . Vietnam Lotteries. By late 1967, U.S. casualties in Vietnam had reached 15,058 killed and 109,527 wounded. July 4, 2011, 12:20 AM • 3 min read. During the Vietnam War every male of my generation — all 28 million of us — faced the vexing question of what to do about the draft. Dear Eadie, Although I underwent the usual eight … How Long was Basic Training for the Vietnam War? Re-institution of the lottery was a change from the “draft the oldest man first” method, which had been … Since the last draft lottery that happened was for the people born in 1952, he was one year shy. Bob Hite focuses on CSM Jeff Mellinger, the last draftee to be serving on active duty in the United States Armed Forces. There was probably not enough time to train the draftee for a special occupation anyway which probably meant that many ended up as infantrymen which were in great demand especially in Southeast Asia. Lottery Numbers, by Birth Date, for Selective Service Lottery Held July 1, 1970. He's believed to be the Army's last continuously … A lottery drawing – the first since 1942 – was held on December 1, 1969, at Selective Service National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The draftee, if found mentally & physically fit, would be inducted for a period … By ANDREW GLASS. Nixon announces no more draftees would be sent to Vietnam, June 28, 1972. But Mellinger had found home. But he didn't have a choice. The last Vietnam draftee who has remained on active duty in the 2nd Infantry Division for 42 years, has retired. Bob spent several days embedded with Jeff's unit in Iraq. In July 2011, the Army announced that Command Sgt. Mr. History. By DAVID KERLEY and CANDACE SMITH. Actually served in Vietnam: 38% Marine Corps draft: 42,633. By 1965 the draft was deeply embedded in the fabric of American society. 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