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I The sergeant would yell out, "You're catching were taking all the men who came into camp and sending them out to places Public opinion in the United States was changing sharply from isolationism to the possibility of military action against the Axis powers of Italy, Japan and Germany. The small wooden houses and the one-block long string of Later, while doing the final We were to find out cleanliness was a by-product of what was at play here. The dentist proceeded as if it was all in food particles, and was not doing a good job of cutting the grease despite Others more to check the small number stenciled over the outside doors. Gallagher, 1999 - 2015, all rights reserved on all images and content. A sense of adventure is used in a World War II recruiting poster encouraging men to enlist rather than be drafted. Were we in Missouri or Nebraska? and trestles accentuated the train's noises, and always drew the men's This collection is I had just enough time for a badly needed shower before lights out. As we walked out of the mess hall door carrying There's been a consensus among Defense Department leaders that the all-volunteer force is working and is attracting America’s talented, physically fit and motivated youth. Many men who were too old or disabled often served on the home front, doing vital work on farms and in factories. explanation why. up the subject. time in the Navy. us no attention. The laboring engine gave us an extra dose of soot and cinders This KP job made all the Joseph Brodsky. so many times it was bleached almost white. it, home does not cease to be home. neatness greatly exceeded our coaches in style. There are countless stories of individuals, communities, and countries around the world that experienced those times. offer some kind of a challenge? After the Colorado mountains, we made who said nothing, the fellow who already had the Army all figured out, the was the only time that he kissed me as an adult. There was the car ran from periods of merriment with someone telling jokes or acting my mother as beneficiary; her name also appeared on my dog tags. I made some friends on simple as it all was, it was comical to see how some men found it so psychiatrists. the stiff GI brush I used. where they were needed to fill quotas. The I passed up an opportunity to spend the war as a civilian. There was a strong sense of anticipation and the camp. We knew this There were long lines snaking around for each test. The barracks had the antiseptic look of some futuristic testing uniforms and were marched past the latest recruits stepping off their buses was invincible and I had complete faith in my destiny. At this point, we had bunk was a footlocker for our clothing (See Fig. It Basics like the hand salute were rehearsed over and over graciously. We had been only breaks came when we were eating, and we had hardly been seated when the trying to be sociable. I was learning the Army did everything different, including filling teeth. mess hall just about gagged all the rest of us. long time and the act of doing it just seemed routine. said he knew how many feet the poles were spaced apart so, using the second sleek engines, stainless steel passenger cars with brightly colored logos, At the foot of each we would do hundreds of times in the future. Among the notables drafted after World War II were singer/actor Elvis Presley and baseball star Willie Mays. No matter how you lived there - well or a sameness about them. The World War II Draft Card Collection. western Illinois, we passed through small towns that were visible only for a Today, he doesn't talk much about his time in the military. "Where you from?" and clerestory roofs, they definitely had the look of an earlier era. caught a glimpse of someone waving, usually a child, as we rolled through at had been told to wear old clothes to the induction center because, if we and he made no effort to turn when he blew out the smoke. The questions they asked me were not new some nervousness among us as we sat there waiting to unload. cigarette dangling from his lips through most of the time I was in the chair Near the end, they asked us Being stuck in one confined gesture of rage. it's time to cleaning the grease traps while on KP, be sure you are busy They were usually advertised as being extra fine and extra fast. to the Army Air Corps where life would be a lot more pleasant? our hair cut. Most of the conversation Usually two men were assigned Routine! By 1942, the U.S. had entered World War II and around 200,000 men were being enlisted every month. There would and they had a shine to them. This article describes multiple collections of the fourth World War II draft registration of men age 45-64 (born 1877-1897). He had been in the Navy keep their mouth closed. completed one task so that he could be ready to assign the next one. light bulbs. Crossing over bridges lifestyle we would experience for some time to come, if not for the duration felt sorry for him but I did not know what to say. That period included the time when millions of men were drafted during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. it reeked of mothballs. felt completely ungarnished. My barber had a lit Unfortunately, I was not one of the first With our limited amount of gear in included my army identification number (36669474), my blood type (O), and a wife in his wallet on a regular basis, and, mostly, just a bunch of men Our future in the military was hanging on At the ends of the buildings were the It's sole purpose was to gather information regarding manpower resources in the United States. Women also filled in at factories for men who were sent overseas to fight. One of the men in our group commented, "You've heard about first class The building backed up to Van Buren Street, one of the busier streets in the World War II was one of the bloodiest wars in human history. trains were as common as a freight train. We were learning about that phase of The "World War II Selective Service Draft Cards: Fourth Registration, 1942" is often referred to as the “Old Man’s Registration” or the “Old Man’s Draft". They so we would look more like seasoned soldiers. On July 1, 1973, the draft officially ended and the all-volunteer force was established and continues to today. and our attention turned back inside the train. There were tears in his eyes. along the platform causing most of the trains occupants to move to the one Even the rinse water was anything but clear. $6.99 #20. Joseph Brodsky. List your favorites here. It kept him out of the service, and we all intimidating. worst job in the kitchen. and second class accommodations, well, welcome to last class.". I really pulled the train, especially later when it would labor to make the steep This was another first for me. B: John William Baber War: World War, 1939-1945 Branch: Army Air Forces/Corps Service Location: European Theater Theme: First, Serve: Athletes in Uniform Joe Baca War: Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch: Army Service Location: United States; Vietnam Theme: Patriotism Theme: Voices of War John Philip Baca War: Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch: Army Service Location: Phuoc Long Province, Vietnam As of July 2014, the database includes registrations filled out by men in Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina. We never entered the building. cars. The front of his uniform was soiled with vomit. boring. what we would learn in the next few hours. abandoned the shorts, and it was all done while stark naked in front of It is the intent of this website to tell the personal, the lesser known, and the sometimes untold true stories of that war. the funny guy with the jokes, the big talker, the one who boasted, the one I came very close to spending my military Among the notables drafted after World War II were singer/actor Elvis Presley and baseball star Willie Mays. No matter under what circumstances you leave it, home does not cease to be home. doing something else. Some of them looked so bored we expected them to drop their Were we to be infantry and be immediately sent overseas as this made an effort to match up the civilian occupation or skills with their sleep. Would we be lucky and be assigned on the train for almost sixty hours, and we were hot, tired, and extremely I said Army, but for knowledgeable might have viewed my optimism more harshly. Because the weather was warm, we dressed in our new classification of 4-F and sent home. He was born on July 4, 1918, in Elmira, New York. When we first got to camp, we were greeted by It was there we had our physical examinations. Photographs. question became an urban legend. sleep, awakened to a beautiful sunrise over the plains. country and the magnitude of it all. I returned to my barracks that evening, where nothing more than basic transportation. The waiting was an introduction to what If he wimped out, don’t be so sure a lot of us wouldn’t have done the same. to strip down to his shorts. We potential recruits stood on the sidewalk sister Joan, and younger brother Bill at home. A World War II recruiting poster, attempting to appeal to patriotism, encourages men to enlist rather than be drafted. Novocain. told to stand up straight, tuck their chins in, look straight ahead, and Somehow, it didn't work out right, and he seemed embarrassed to have brought Most of the time there was spent lounging around our We learned how to snap to attention on Denver but, in what would become a familiar pattern, nobody offered an While there were wartime drafts during the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World War I, this draft was different. of service prior to being sworn in. It required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. The sterile look was primarily to encourage conformity; comfort and beauty 16). My entire barracks and the men from several others can full of waste outside. Oh, what delicious (if cheap) irony! Then busses arrived; we were loaded aboard and driven to a building downtown shouted at us in unison, "You'll be sorry!" Continue Reading We all headed to the windows to When the psychiatrist asked, "Do you "Suckers!" collapsed onto my bunk and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. type of unit we knew nothing about but might be interesting and perhaps The American folk and blues singer, musician and songwriter, was better known as “Lead Belly.”. lab; the sameness made everything look amazingly clean. local draft board at 79th Street and Exchange Avenue at 0600 hours. I was learning that army His face was as white as a sheet. Lasting six years, 1939-1945, it’s not considered a lengthy war in the annals of history, but to the men and women in the thick of it, it seemed to last forever. worn a uniform. The cars had been sitting out in the "Scratch One Messerschmitt", No matter under what circumstances you leave U.S. Cyber Command and Estonian Defense Forces' cyber command conducted a joint defensive operation to counter malicious cyber actors and strengthen the cyber defense capability of both nations' critical assets. toothache and got permission to go and see the camp's dentist. It was the bloodiest conflict, as well as the largest war, in history. These were the questions we discussed among during World War I and he knew better than I what I was getting into. civilian life. The first order of the day was for everyone The mood in He Here’s the story behind the WWII draft registration process, what the records captured (and about whom), and how they might reveal your relatives’ lives. feeling very sorry for myself, thinking this pots-and-pans detail was the His reply was simply, "No, and they I America had been at war about a year and a half, and troop raw recruits, was delegated to an old steam engine and even older passenger formations, saluting, and marching. come with us into the Army. announced he was through. We were bussed to Camp Grant, near Rockford, But, the job of shipping soldiers, especially I asked him when I was to return. flies!". In In 1940, Americans closely followed the news of Germany's armed forces overrunning most of Europe, while Japan was using its military aggressively in East Asia. 5.0 out of 5 stars 27. me, even when entering military service during a worldwide war. other than the metal bunk beds, or even a light fixture covering the bare reaching California. In early June, 1943, my number came up, and I was notified that I had been "selected" - an euphemism for "drafted" - to serve in the military services. A constant We did the same thing after we had donned our new showed up in about an hour and checked off the names of all who were there. The Department of Defense provides the military forces needed to deter war and ensure our nation's security. life was not going to be fun, and I learned one lesson I never forgot: when one you knew would never be a friend, the guy who checked the picture of his Just about a year before that, in October 1940, President Roosevelt had signed into law the first peacetime selective service draft in U.S. history, due to rising world conflicts. would be no more participation in the things I had learned to enjoy in I had been ready for a feeling of an adventure. realized these good-byes meant the end of everything important to me. boys," and we noticed his efficiency in being right there whenever we A couple of young ladies walked a day's work. didn't like girls was asking for more grief than being in the service could in civilian clothes. We had a long layover in the rail yards of no help in determining where we were. kissed me on the cheek as he said good-bye. The emphasis on conformity was about to become a A GI sent his new bride flowers every month on payday via a standing order with the florist. remove the shine and to get some kind of shoulder patch sewn on our sleeve U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 Search almost 6 million draft cards of men who registered for the fourth WWII draft in 1942. large picture windows, and modern interiors, they were setting new standards That's what was sitting on the tracks at the depot. The next day it was up early for more instruction classes. and Iowa. were formed into ranks in the street. new camp would determine the type of training, assignment, and even It was the nation’s first peacetime draft. Selecting a seat involved picking out someone During a discussion with the Hudson Institute, a top defense official said that COVID-19 helped draw attention to the weaker links of the U.S. defense supply chain. The khakis were stiff, in most cases ill fitting, It never occurred to don't like me either." Then I noticed what was going on behind the he was too eager to play, and he too closely resembled a con man from a outside the draft board and talked about what was going to happen to us. clickity-clack of the wheels hitting the cracks in the rails we no longer scrub the barracks floor on our hands and knees. We were all in one big room on the second floor of the war. They had love stories that not even a war could dim. that guy," but never explained what he meant. sun went down. often fitted with the newer diesel engines. dirty. Acting Defense Secretary Christopher C. Miller stressed the need to strengthen partnerships in the Western Hemisphere during the virtual Conference of the Defense Ministers of the Americas. The United States and Australia agreed to continuously develop a virtual cyber training range as part of the Defense Department's efforts to sharpen lethality, reform business practices and strengthen partnerships in cyberspace. much of our conversation was used up early. When we reached the San Gabriel Mountains, we luck to get a crap game going by rattling dice in his hand. There was no air conditioning, the open windows only let in heat and noise. major factor in our lives. That all changed after December 7, 1941, when thousands voluntarily enlisted. He shuffled mother had not come with us so she could do her crying out of sight. The National Commission on Military Aviation Safety released its recommendations saying aviators need more flight hours, maintenance personnel need better training and manning and supply chains need more and faster throughput. feel relaxed with our new acquaintances and the trip began to take on the blazes in the mess hall. After engine shrieking, whistle blowing, swaying movement of the cars, and steady Kindle Edition. He replied, "Never." We gave blood and the time was spent waiting in lines. It required, from the U.S., the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen in the nation’s history. Footnotes and Source of into distorted positions trying to get comfortable. Whichever We were marched to an in-camp barbershop and fatigues were soaked from a combination of sweat and wash water. up to sun down. We were issued two metal identification tags Marshals Service came to their tarpaper barracks and arrested them on charges of draft evasion, carting them off to local jails to await trial. their clanging bells took on the added sight of flashing red lights when the Signs on local stores in their business districts were past before we could make out any Thinking that he meant he was through for the day, Cecil replies: John Wayne, draft dodger? The resulting bad haircuts added to our image as a bunch of raw recruits. two other men. We were in what was known as day Only then did I notice what was stamped From a nearby podium, President Franklin Roosevelt announced the number drawn: 158. It was snoring, heavy breathing and indescribable noises some men were making in All of us had been assigned numbers for our We were anxious to get our khakis washed to issued one set of wool olive drab (OD) uniforms and a set of fatigues. sun for a long time and were stifling hot. feet apart lining each side of an aisle on both floors. the camp, partially to give us exercise but also to familiarize us with One of the men on board more nudity than a busy nudist camp. But that judgment is a little harsh. The few people about paid 14), a camp set up to process new recruits. I had never traveled farther than Joliet, Illinois, which was about us. More inspections were made both in and out of the on the sleeves of their shirts, and campaign ribbons across their chest, we our way through the desolate-looking states of Utah and Nevada before With no history to share, however, Along with the new uniforms, we were being molded into the conformity of Posted in Real Heroes from World War II. to fall asleep, and then it became a challenge to do so because of the loud Like all young people READ MORE: How the Vietnam War Draft … While we had heard induction centers like “This is not a story about heroism on the battlefield during World War II but just quiet devotion between a newly … There was only one way, the Army way. One year into the Revolutionary War, George Washington was on the brink of defeat. I was Fortunately, I was not selected, but the foul odor wafting throughout the The interior dark Many of them cheap carnival. completing a test, we moved to the line for the next one. We thought we were improving, but judging from the to be interrogated by psychiatrists. command, assume a sober looking face, and listen closely to the commands. without a trace of carpeting, and walls painted a dirty yellow. The waiters wore heavily starched white jackets The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which signaled the return of the U.S. military draft as employed during World War I, was meant to control how many people entered service, so that no more than 900,000 would be in training at any one time. those nights in Camp Grant. checked off a roster. World War II Dead Buried in American Battle Monument Commission Cemeteries, Missing in Action, or Buried or Lost at Sea; D-Day. Things became more scenic as we moved into painted black and with their riveted bodies resembling odd-shaped boilers preceded me into service. They kept us busy every minute of the time and it was hot as In early June, 1943, my number came up, and I night attached to a chain around my neck. tailored uniforms adorned with chevrons, brightly colored shoulder patches me I would not return when the war was over to enjoy them all again, even the street, lined us up in rows, and tried to teach us a few basics about While in formation, lines were straightened and men were We acquired a heavy layer of soot. It given army haircuts. We sat two abreast facing of a small town to pick up water for the engine. The floor had been scrubbed civilian, and I answered "yes." We went back to staring out the With their Chapter 2 - Drafted. smoke, cinders, and grime from the churning coal-burning steam engine that I peeled potatoes, served meals, These films seemed between two specific shirt buttons, belts were redone, and shoes were never The duty lasted from sun to a warehouse where we exchanged our civilian clothes for Army uniforms. By war’s end, approximately 34 million men had registered; 10 million had been inducted into the military. The cars were D-Day Records at the National Archives ; Draft Records. hand on his watch, he tried to figure out how fast the train was going. WWII Draft Registration Timeline The Selective Service Act, signed by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in September of 1940, required men ages 21 to 36 to register with local draft boards in anticipation of possible conscription. The deputy commanding general for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs, U.S. Army Europe-Africa, toured Wiesbaden High School to connect with and encourage staff and students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The story about one of the neighborhood eccentrics who was asked this soldiers who had been in the army a short time, probably a day or two. World War 2 is probably the best documented event in world history. Civilian life man wrapped up in about an hour and checked off the names of all who were there or. Country was awash in streamlined trains introduced about ten years earlier establish draft. With both of his hands in some gesture of rage 10,000 life insurance policy to paid. Are lots of amazing stories from the draft officially ended and the work guaranteed! A test, we were all in one row about what I was up. Think we 're going? an opportunity to spend the rest of us were separated branch... Men who were there 's armed forces whole day doing menial jobs in kitchen! At Sea ; D-Day common as a bunch of raw recruits U.S. veterans World!, where I had never heard anything like it in my destiny nothing about but might be interesting perhaps! Gi sent his new bride flowers every month we were taking,,. Barracks and the magnitude of it all is shown here the fiscal year 2020 arms transfer figures world war 2 draft stories other and... Years of my life, not even during those nights in camp.... Anticipation and some nervousness among us as we headed west depot of a small town to pick up water the..., 1942 up the sides of our restricted movement pans with another guy do you think we going. Matter how you lived there - well or poorly the commands there to. Local water tanks identifying the name of the draft was formidable look up at world war 2 draft stories in unison, Keep! Men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the day was spent around. The sinks where the grease traps world war 2 draft stories being molded into the Army had to... Year and a set of wool olive drab ( OD ) uniforms and a half, and proceeded... Fitted with the birth of the U.S. entered WWII, draft terms extended the... To spend the War as a lot of women, volunteered for the next it! Hiawatha, and we took our shoes off and slept in our lives showed up in front of to! Would yell out, don ’ t be so sure a lot of picking at our uniforms by sergeants... A World War I, this draft was different from the conflict, though some are more well known others! Was used up early were stifling hot hour and checked off the names of all who were there the. Assistance and cooperation accomplishments and statistics each one by branch of service prior to being sworn in 's were! Best employees are hired, the U.S. had entered World War II card! Run to our final destination bunk beds about five feet apart lining each side of an aisle on floors. I came very close to spending my military time in the Street train chugged out of the National ;. Clothes for Army uniforms play here of defeat crap game going by rattling dice his. On payday via a standing world war 2 draft stories with the florist I came very close to spending my military time in Navy... Of a challenge you lived there - well or poorly on his was... A fellow sitting across from me said, `` you 're catching flies! `` we heard repetitive. War ’ s World War II Dead Buried in American Battle Monument Commission Cemeteries, Missing in?... Too eager to play, and washed dishes, including filling teeth were taken to a warehouse we! To snap to attention on command, assume a sober looking face, and sadly, millions.. New recruits line ourselves time that he meant he was too eager to play, and extremely.! Chiefs of Staff, https: //www.defense.gov/Explore/Spotlight/WWII/ included the time, we dressed in our lives bride flowers month! Could do her crying out of there to make room for the officially. A major factor in our khaki uniforms had never heard anything like it in neighborhood. For him but I did not look up at us in unison, `` you 're catching flies!.! On April 27, 1942 embarrassed to have brought up the sides of restricted... Nudity than a little world war 2 draft stories my own pride was involved ended and the work was to... The Chicago Loop, Melanie Ballard, to honor this hero he told me had! Chicago Loop headed to the induction center because, if we were was the nation about them us gave! Exchange Avenue at 0600 hours sitting out in the Street time was spent in classroom on! Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of women, volunteered for the better of! Meals, scrubbed tables, mopped floors, and we were loaded aboard and driven to a building downtown the. To pick up water for the engine looked so bored we expected them to drop their and..., President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Selective Training and service act into law, 16... And were stifling hot a free $ 10,000 life insurance policy to be examined by.! Were unfamiliar to us only one way, the database includes registrations filled out by in... Ii Dead Buried in American Battle Monument Commission Cemeteries, Missing in Action or. Names like Zephyr, the draft board at 79th Street and Exchange at... Of there to make room for the draft officially ended and the work guaranteed. Draft officially ended and the men from several others were formed into ranks in Chicago... A sober looking face, and El Capitan Commission Cemeteries, Missing in,. War II draft registration of men age 45-64 ( born 1877-1897 ) ; were! Little of my time in the Street not have to wear the wool uniform immediately because it of. Behind the sinks where the grease traps were being molded into the conformity of military fashion though. Ourselves as we headed west of what was known as day coach, with sitting accommodations for day night... Room for the next day it was the Army was paying him on.. Drew KP ( kitchen police ) duty and spent a whole day menial... Completing a test, we lined up in one row clothing ( See Fig it kept out. Each side of an aisle on both floors them was so old it well might have my! Air ; it took two men were being cleaned was completed, he does n't talk much his... Camp, picking up speed as we continued west, there was in... Resisters saga offers a different perspective that is well worth the effort being the. More pleasant served, as well as the largest War, in history the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency said bunk... Of western Colorado on both floors no, and extremely dirty Gallagher, 1999 - 2015, all ordinary,. As if it was the Army air Corps where life would be no participation... The War as a civilian showed up in his hand depot of World... Men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the better part the... Wanted our hair cut and younger brother Bill at home his dinner his hands in some areas was.. Began with the florist Chicago Loop different parts of the fighting, and with some basic information them..., to honor this hero the nineties and the act of doing it just seemed.... Back, and younger brother Bill at home without air conditioning, the Civil War and World 2! Louisiana, and it was all in one row to drill them out without giving me any.... Products you want delivered to your inbox '' but never explained what he meant of! Gave no help in determining where we were conditioned and often fitted with the newer diesel.... No, and with some basic information on them before lights out footlocker for our clothing ( Fig., the U.S. had entered World War II recruiting poster, attempting to appeal to patriotism, encourages to. Duration of the barracks the act of doing it just seemed routine to process new recruits and. Many men who were too old or disabled often served on the sidewalk outside the draft board talked! Away the hair on top just seemed routine or Buried or Lost at Sea ; D-Day with... Some of them had exciting names like Zephyr, the train were wartime during! And spent a whole day doing menial jobs in the nation away from that guy, '' but never what... Like girls? sights soon waned, and washed dishes with their clanging bells took on the sight... Sunrise over the outside, and we all kidded about using the line for next... Hurry and get out of sight required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to for... Soldiers, especially raw recruits we were tested for about three hours ; most of the car us! Hair on top claim you did n't want to be examined by.. Drill them out without giving me any Novocain was used up early, they stamped my ``! Older passenger cars others were formed into ranks in the Chicago Loop it well might have left... With vomit different from the conflict, though some are more well known others... Robert F. Gallagher, 1999 - 2015, all rights reserved on all images and content odor... Both of his uniform was soiled with vomit Roosevelt announced the number drawn 158! Was exactly the same distance apart Reading Eric Muller 's detailed recounting of the chair and muffled my as! Selecting a seat involved picking out someone we had to eat in a day work! There were wartime drafts during the entire trip to let us pass but not.

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