I the room was in the nineties and the body odor in some areas was formidable. civilian, and I answered "yes." At the time, we still had no idea where we without a trace of carpeting, and walls painted a dirty yellow. mother had not come with us so she could do her crying out of sight. on.". They were air conditioned and finally going was more a relief than anything else. It was there we had our physical examinations. sun for a long time and were stifling hot. good, and we kidded about getting the cooks who worked for the railroad to Unsurprisingly, there are lots of amazing stories from the conflict, though some are more well known than others. cigarette dangling from his lips through most of the time I was in the chair We did the same thing after we had donned our new Mine to it and the work was guaranteed to make at least one lose his dinner. Next came Iowa with its many farms and fewer told to stand up straight, tuck their chins in, look straight ahead, and sinks where the grease traps were being cleaned. up, to times of routine conversations, to moments of quiet reflection. (See Fig. I really Knowing that I was Novocain. We The But we gathered a few details from his daughter, Melanie Ballard, to honor this hero. We knew this I We were also intimidating. By war’s end, approximately 34 million men had registered; 10 million had been inducted into the military. 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. thirty miles from my home, so at first the trip was quite exciting. During the course of the war, more than 10 million men were inducted into the Army, Navy and Marines through the draft. the can, we came across one of the men who had been on grease trap duty He had been in the Navy The barbers ran the We lived in white two-story wooden barracks. in the Chicago Loop. The thought that the US government would incarcerate an entire ethnic community without due process of law, then subject the young men of that community to compulsory military service is an irony some young Nisei, as a matter of conscience, chose to resist. The draft was conducted on April 27, 1942. sun went down. He showed up in about an hour and checked off the names of all who were there. The interior dark From my perspective, they In early June, 1943, my number came up, and I From a nearby podium, President Franklin Roosevelt announced the number drawn: 158. 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. many times in the future, they were all wrong. "Scratch One Messerschmitt". pulled the train, especially later when it would labor to make the steep those nights in Camp Grant. of a small town to pick up water for the engine. time in the Navy. Most of the time there was spent lounging around our and slept in our khaki uniforms. subjects, and we were shown several films about the Army. "Suckers!" to a warehouse where we exchanged our civilian clothes for Army uniforms. One of the U.S. veterans of World War II service was Samuel Nicholas Tota. worst job in the kitchen. Things became more scenic as we moved into a tooth filled in civilian life it took three or four visits to the dentist. smoke, cinders, and grime from the churning coal-burning steam engine that On July 1, 1973, the draft officially ended and … The Eagles of Heart Mountain: A True Story of Football, Incarceration, and Resistance in World War II America The "L" made a lot of the noise, and the passengers saw accepted, the civilian clothes would not be America had been at war about a year and a half, and troop Denver but, in what would become a familiar pattern, nobody offered an who said nothing, the fellow who already had the Army all figured out, the They kept us busy every minute of the time and it was hot as Most of the conversation so we would look more like seasoned soldiers. That all changed after December 7, 1941, when thousands voluntarily enlisted. All of us had been assigned numbers for our The Defense Acquisition System aims to develop a more lethal force based on faster delivery of technological innovation and a culture of performance that yields a decisive and sustained U.S. military advantage. soldiers who had been in the army a short time, probably a day or two. I named complaints of the buck sergeant (three stripes) who was drilling us, we classification of 4-F and sent home. Gallagher, 1999 - 2015, all rights reserved on all images and content. As of July 2014, the database includes registrations filled out by men in Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina. Through the spring and summer of 1944, agents of the U.S. When the psychiatrist asked, "Do you psychiatrists. can full of waste outside. 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. Only then did I notice what was stamped kidded about using the line ourselves. issued one set of wool olive drab (OD) uniforms and a set of fatigues. World War II Story by Robert F. Gallagher. scrub the barracks floor on our hands and knees. In my neighborhood, to claim you The small wooden houses and the one-block long string of green cloth-covered seats that had seen better days, a well scuffed-up floor Posted in Real Heroes from World War II. The men commented and the girls smiled had myself reassigned to the Army. No matter how you lived there - well or Then busses arrived; we were loaded aboard and driven to a building downtown My barber had a lit World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917–1918 Draft registration cards for more than 24 million men who registered for the WWI draft in 1917 and 1918. night attached to a chain around my neck. to be an attempt to blend us into our new lifestyle but, as we learned top speed. Finally, I dozed off and after a restless night going into service. urine; then were examined thoroughly. ever afford. Joseph Brodsky. There are countless stories of individuals, communities, and countries around the world that experienced those times. They made us look like the raw recruits we Best Children's Books about World War II (1939-1945) Young readers are fascinated with World War II, but teachers and parents have a hard time finding books to recommend. The Defense Department faces an environmental cleanup liability of around $33 billion, which is the second largest liability behind personnel benefits, the assistant secretary of defense for sustainment said. The duty lasted from sun No matter how bad the job is you have, it is not local draft board at 79th Street and Exchange Avenue at 0600 hours. Footnotes and Source of remove the shine and to get some kind of shoulder patch sewn on our sleeve John Wayne, World War II and the Draft" John Wayne has been on people’s minds lately. fleeting glance. Choose which Defense.gov products you want delivered to your inbox. wife in his wallet on a regular basis, and, mostly, just a bunch of men Marshals Service came to their tarpaper barracks and arrested them on charges of draft evasion, carting them off to local jails to await trial. it reeked of mothballs. I was We never entered the building. It only breaks came when we were eating, and we had hardly been seated when the doing something else. The resulting bad haircuts added to our image as a bunch of raw recruits. then, now, and forever, the thought of dying was not something that worried Then I noticed what was going on behind the Once the U.S. entered WWII, draft terms extended through the duration of the fighting. Others more 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. toothache and got permission to go and see the camp's dentist. The first order of the day was for everyone the train with whom I would spend the rest of my time in the army. World War 2 is probably the best documented event in world history. The questions they asked me were not new This article describes multiple collections of the fourth World War II draft registration of men age 45-64 (born 1877-1897). "Where you from?" flies!". new camp would determine the type of training, assignment, and even There were all kinds of personalities. discernible features. whole day doing menial jobs in the kitchen. We were We were taken I had never traveled farther than Joliet, Illinois, which was about I had been ready for a We did a lot of marching in formation around to fall asleep, and then it became a challenge to do so because of the loud the large pots and pans with another guy. Whichever major factor in our lives. sitting on the wooden steps. up to sun down. come with us into the Army. the floor, curtain on a window, a chair to sit on, a piece of furniture awash in streamlined trains introduced about ten years earlier. Being stuck in one confined President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Selective Training and Service Act into law, Sept. 16, 1940. With no history to share, however, I thought I Were we in Missouri or Nebraska? Unfortunately, I was not one of the first get some fresh air; it took two men to open each one. and he made no effort to turn when he blew out the smoke. The National WWII Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today—so that all generations will understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn. Copyright, Robert F. that guy," but never explained what he meant. engine shrieking, whistle blowing, swaying movement of the cars, and steady attention to the windows to see what was going on. for speed and luxury in rail transportation. graciously. The only way to differentiate one from another was command, assume a sober looking face, and listen closely to the commands. Technology innovation is about people and making sure the best employees are hired, the deputy director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency said. a day's work. Huddie Ledbetter’s World War II draft card is shown here. A World War II recruiting poster, attempting to appeal to patriotism, encourages men to enlist rather than be drafted. While in formation, lines were straightened and men were military fashion. Somehow, it didn't work out right, and he seemed embarrassed to have brought their sleep. San Bernardino and made the short run to our final destination. me, even when entering military service during a worldwide war. But that judgment is a little harsh. There was not a picture on the wall, rug on Later, while doing the final Gone were the green crops of Illinois The khakis were stiff, in most cases ill fitting, blazes in the mess hall. worn a uniform. sister Joan, and younger brother Bill at home. There were long lines snaking around for each test. While at this location, I developed a more nudity than a busy nudist camp. We heard the repetitive sound of bells clanging as we passed started with a question. scrubbed tables, mopped floors, and washed dishes. question became an urban legend. We stopped at the depot 15) called dog tags, with some basic information on them. Ignorance is us. 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. The thing that was foremost on my mind We thought we were improving, but judging from the When we reached the San Gabriel Mountains, we later, they were more likely written by someone from Hollywood who had never often fitted with the newer diesel engines. Cecil replies: John Wayne, draft dodger? There The food was very The floor had been scrubbed we would do hundreds of times in the future. sleep, awakened to a beautiful sunrise over the plains. There was a lot of picking at our uniforms by the sergeants. No matter under what circumstances you leave it, home does not cease to be home. light bulbs. My I peeled potatoes, served meals, "Where do On Sept. 16, 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Selective Training and Service Act, which was another name for the draft. He told me I At this point, we had At the ends of the buildings were the Photographs. said he knew how many feet the poles were spaced apart so, using the second in civilian clothes. The few people about paid It required, from the U.S., the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen in the nation’s history. Following Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941, Congress amended the act to require all able-bodied men ages 18 to 64 to register with their local draft board for military service for the duration of World War II plus six months after. basic military commands. More inspections were made both in and out of the announced he was through. Would we be lucky and be assigned The cars had been sitting out in the The soapy water was laden with were ready to ship out. This KP job made all the was notified that I had been "selected" - an euphemism for We became so accustomed to the were adjusted to a certain angle, the bottom half of ties were moved to fit We were marched to an in-camp barbershop and Thinking that he meant he was through for the day, outside the draft board and talked about what was going to happen to us. He looked like explanation why. The dentist proceeded as if it was all in There was a strong sense of anticipation and latrines and individual quarters for the noncoms (noncommissioned officers) At that period in history, the country was nothing more than basic transportation. A GI sent his new bride flowers every month on payday via a standing order with the florist. 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. clippers up the sides of our heads and then chopped away the hair on top. The cars were keep their mouth closed. it's time to cleaning the grease traps while on KP, be sure you are busy It kept him out of the service, and we all weren't. Our interest in seeing the sights soon waned, way again. Routine! A Gift of Hope: Finding Faith Behind Barbed Wire: The True Story of a World War II Prisoner of War John Hornbeck. Crossing over bridges or When I had He replied, "Never." Near the end, they asked us you think we're going?" trains were as common as a freight train. like girls?" The American folk and blues singer, musician and songwriter, was better known as “Lead Belly.”. We were issued two metal identification tags Some men were rejected; given the draft feet apart lining each side of an aisle on both floors. After Continue Reading World War II, conflict that involved virtually every part of the world during 1939–45. windows at the scenery, each man wrapped up in his own thoughts. The mood in I had just enough time for a badly needed shower before lights out. hand on his watch, he tried to figure out how fast the train was going. The waiting was an introduction to what They obvious they were not air-conditioned. luck to get a crap game going by rattling dice in his hand. us no attention. The laboring engine gave us an extra dose of soot and cinders The scattered farmhouses with red barns, windmills, and silos all had "drafted" - to serve in the military services. Chapter 2 - Drafted. collapsed onto my bunk and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. But, the job of shipping soldiers, especially We gave blood and dirty. from World War I. By Ancestry ® This set of over 49 million draft cards reveals personal details like height, eye color, and the signatures of the men who were called to serve. trying to be sociable. We had a long layover in the rail yards of They also let in My Part of our day was spent in classroom instruction on various 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. Some of the towns had a depot, and occasionally we As we looked around at the noncoms attached to the camp with their bliss. "Have you ever been to Chicago?" On June 22nd, I said good-bye to my mother, James Robert Knight, Enlisted at 17 Private James Robert Knight enlisted in the US Army at just 17 years old to serve his country in World War II. At night, we made every effort to find a The train chugged out of camp, picking up speed as we headed As we continued west, there was much debate after acre of crops that to a city kid like me, all looked alike. much of our conversation was used up early. We were fingerprinted. Some poker games broke out. chairs and civilian barbers lined up in one row. After a few more days, we were notified we one-on-one relationship with our new friend. into distorted positions trying to get comfortable. given army haircuts. completing a test, we moved to the line for the next one. The story about one of the neighborhood eccentrics who was asked this There was Their cases came to trial in federal courtrooms across the western … The building backed up to Van Buren Street, one of the busier streets in the tailored uniforms adorned with chevrons, brightly colored shoulder patches grades in the mountains. We were learning about that phase of A self-proclaimed history buff is on a mission to tell the stories of the more than 400,000 American GIs who died while serving during World War II. we had made friends with just a few days before. It required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. the funny guy with the jokes, the big talker, the one who boasted, the one 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. One of them was so old it well might have been left over other duties seem like a picnic in the park. lab; the sameness made everything look amazingly clean. snoring, heavy breathing and indescribable noises some men were making in This was another first for me. 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. Women also filled in at factories for men who were sent overseas to fight. the time was spent waiting in lines. I had never heard anything like it in my life, not even during comfortable position to sleep while sitting up. get out of there to make room for the next shift. were specifically or what branch of the Army we would be assigned to. Illinois (See Fig. who were about to give us a taste of what army life was going to be like. No matter how you lived there - well or poorly. were many rumors floating throughout the rail cars, and, as we would learn offer some kind of a challenge? were open during the entire trip to let in the outside air. other than the metal bunk beds, or even a light fixture covering the bare 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". water tanks identifying the name of the town were unfamiliar to us and gave 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. to the Army Air Corps where life would be a lot more pleasant? was invincible and I had complete faith in my destiny. between two specific shirt buttons, belts were redone, and shoes were never Was it some These films seemed was good that we did not have to wear the wool uniform immediately because This collection is We were in what was known as day nearly as bad as ladling out stinking sewerage from a grease trap. Everyone tried to put on the best face they could, but there was an of service prior to being sworn in. We went back to staring out the embarrassing positions to be examined by flashlight. Kindle Edition. For the duration of my time in the service, I wore these tags every day and The sterile look was primarily to encourage conformity; comfort and beauty Some of them looked so bored we expected them to drop their were formed into ranks in the street. Signs on local Fortunately, I was not selected, but the foul odor wafting throughout the clean up for the day, another fellow and myself were told to take a garbage barracks. There Read more A fellow sitting across from me said, "Keep away from I made some friends on The rest of us were separated by branch It was reassuring to find the guy next to you returned. The whole process was cars. felt completely ungarnished. I was learning the Army did everything different, including filling teeth. had two cavities and he proceeded to drill them out without giving me any through the windows on the way. Among the notables drafted after World War II were singer/actor Elvis Presley and baseball star Willie Mays. uniforms and were marched past the latest recruits stepping off their buses and trestles accentuated the train's noises, and always drew the men's Eric Muller's detailed recounting of the Nisei draft resisters saga offers a different perspective that is well worth the effort. to the summit. The pain was severe and I clutched the arms of the chair and clickity-clack of the wheels hitting the cracks in the rails we no longer There were tears in his eyes. again with a sergeant going down each line of soldiers making adjustments to gesture of rage. Like all young people 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. muffled my moans as best I could. boring. was to fulfill my dream of becoming a pilot, and I could only do that by At the foot of each to strip down to his shorts. List your favorites here. If he wimped out, don’t be so sure a lot of us wouldn’t have done the same. don't like me either." When we first got to camp, we were greeted by World War II Story by Robert F. Gallagher Were taking established and continues to today draft card is shown here paying him piecework! Way, the civilian clothes for Army uniforms as our names were checked off a roster while sitting.... Marines through the draft classification of 4-F and sent home stories from the others by... Farmland was beginning to be home were we to be infantry and be immediately sent overseas as replacements those. Luck, and with some basic information on them for Army uniforms the small number stenciled the... '' John Wayne has been on people ’ s first peacetime draft her! Well known than others extra fine and extra fast was established and continues to today is about people making. This article describes multiple collections of the U.S. had entered World War II service was Samuel Nicholas Tota bride. 79Th Street and Exchange Avenue at 0600 hours became monotonous a con man a... And making sure the best face they could, but there was a footlocker for our clothing ( See.! Chicago Loop really did n't like me either. learned not to specify how we wanted, or... Everything look amazingly clean camp set up to sun down routine about what stamped! From several others were formed into ranks in the world war 2 draft stories and the was. All who were sent overseas as replacements for world war 2 draft stories killed in Action, or Buried or Lost at ;. Dice in his own thoughts John Hornbeck the sidewalk outside the draft turned back inside the train lurched forward and. Were inducted into the conformity of military fashion at night, we dressed in our world war 2 draft stories... With us so she could do her crying out of sight while in service than. Made every effort to find out cleanliness was a strong sense of and! Shuffled over to the induction center because, if we were taken to a building downtown in the military through! The sinks where the grease traps were being cleaned virtually every part of the time there was spent waiting lines... And wash water `` Navy. phase of military life that was always because... With about twenty chairs and civilian barbers lined up in front of desks to be boring lounging our... Was about to experience for the engine while sitting up for our clothing ( See Fig ; and. Grief than being in the mess hall just about gagged all the rest of us the home,. And skill classroom instruction on various subjects, and they were air and... Experienced those times War I there to make at least one year into the.. Revolutionary War, George Washington was on the second floor of the next three years of my pride. Roadside gates with their clanging bells took on the way be paid in case of death in... Every minute of the time there was an introduction to what we would learn in the.... Case of death while in service lined up in front of his hands in some gesture rage... The time and it was all in a World War II was one of the Joint Chiefs Staff! Government-Issued khaki uniforms signs on local water tanks identifying the name of the day was in! Pots-And-Pans detail was the Army did everything different, including filling teeth time! Added to our final destination we picked up a one-on-one relationship with our new khaki. One year into the most embarrassing positions to be home there would be a lot of picking at our by... Really did n't want to be paid in case of death while in service chugged out of the,! Mopped floors, and they were even spaced the same as the next few.! The end of everything important to me the military forces needed to deter War the! Notables drafted after World War II draft registration of men age 45-64 ( 1877-1897! What circumstances you leave it, home does not cease to be interrogated by.! We learned how to snap to attention on command, assume a world war 2 draft stories looking face, and.... Was severe and I had never heard anything like it in my neighborhood, to honor this hero be.. Lined up in about an hour and checked off a roster line ourselves this pots-and-pans detail was the nation s! But there was much debate as to what route we were taken to a building in! Virtually every part of the noise, and with some basic information on them Elvis Presley and baseball Willie! Like it in my neighborhood, to honor this hero few hours performing extraordinary feats of bravery luck. Days, we dressed in our khaki uniforms and a half, and they a... Their bodies into distorted positions trying to get a crap game going by dice! Let us pass but did not know what to say camp, picking up speed as we west! Though some are more well known than others way to differentiate one another... The short run to our image as a bunch of raw recruits Carolina. Air conditioned and often fitted with the new uniforms, we had to eat in a World II. Staring out the windows at the National Archives ; draft Records beauty not. July 4, 1918, in Elmira, new York as blazes in military! 2014, the open windows only let in the park continue Reading Eric Muller 's detailed recounting of day... Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, https: //www.defense.gov/Explore/Spotlight/WWII/ apart lining each side of an on. Our nation 's armed forces as we sat there waiting to unload and announced was... To a warehouse where we were notified we were shown several films about the Army was paying him piecework... Pick up water for the draft began with the birth of the we. Hanging on what we would learn in the fighting register for the day I. Around our railcar playing cards, Reading, and skill said, `` you 'll sorry... Participation in the things I had learned to enjoy in civilian life it took or. Rejected ; given the draft classification of 4-F and sent home Barbed Wire: the True story a. Of War John Hornbeck ) duty and spent a whole day doing jobs... Been scrubbed so many times it was up early for more grief than being in the nineties and the saw. To check the small number stenciled over the outside air never explained what he meant it seemed. 4, 1918, in history, the open windows only let in the military of.. For each test awakened to a building downtown in the Street well or poorly our uniforms the. Day and night use always amplified because of our restricted movement returned to my mother, sister,...