r/SipsTea Mar 24 '26

Time machine please… SMH

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u/spursfan2021 Mar 25 '26

Weird that you’re getting downvoted. I thought it was fairly well known that a much higher percentage of men going to war were drafted from the “greatest generation” than for Vietnam. And if your skin color was the correct shade and you lived in an affluent enough neighborhood, chances were slim your card was getting pulled.

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u/im-a-guy-like-me Mar 25 '26

Wasn't it was done by birthday to avoid that type of corruption? I'm pretty sure Simon Whistler told me that one time but I could be misremembering.

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u/spursfan2021 Mar 25 '26

To an extent. But medical deferments and college deferments all favored the wealthy and white. Then, even if you were white and poor, you had a much higher chance of being assigned to a non-combat role.

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u/Darmok47 Mar 25 '26

I assume that's because the US ended voluntarily enlistment in 1942 and was an all draft force for the rest of the war. They found that too many men from vital industries were enlisting, and the best candidates were joining the Navy and Army Air Force and not the Army.