Posted on 04/11/2019 9:18:28 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
To answer your question, the answer is 90 years old for some legally enlisted or drafted.
They would have been born in 1928 and 17 in 1945. One member of my church was drafted after high school in 1945, but was still in training when the war ended. I think he told me he was in San Diego at the time.
I understand. I’m a WW II buff.
Technology would win.
I’m a VN combat vet and the great guys today would kick our butts with all they have.
Over 16 million served.
There were more than 2 million draftees.
Not everyone in uniform was enthusiastic. I would love to believe that was the case. The draftees did their duty, so it isn’t a slam. But the truth is different than the John Wayne movies.
From the National WWII museum:
Once the U.S. entered WWII, draft terms extended through the duration of the fighting. By the end of the war in 1945, 50 million men between eighteen and forty-five had registered for the draft and 10 million had been inducted in the military.
That’s beside the point. The point is that 16 million served.
The unenthusiastic you mention were a very small number.
As a VN combat vet I know all about “the truth is different than the John Wayne movies”.
“There were more than 2 million draftees”.
“... had registered for the draft and 10 million had been inducted in the military”.
So which is it....2 million or 10 million?
I am not sure what your point is, besides being pedantic. (I will wait for you to look it up.)
I was guessing more than 2 million. But out of your 16 million, ten million were drafted. Not exactly the rush of enthusiasm you would expect from the rose colored glasses worn by many on FR.
I am merely trying to correct the outdated view that EVERYONE in the service in WWII had rushed down to the recruiters office on their 18th Birthday.
CNN headline: Russian agent Trump intimidates elderly veterans (because we care about them for the moment).
Maryland PING!
My point is you need to get your figures straight. Have a good day.
I don't know about an old B&W movie, but apparently a movie based on his life was made in the 1980's: Too Young the Hero
At 12, he was still a child. The lowest age I'd heard about was 14, which also was far too young.
Might be that. I might have seen it in color but so long ago that in the haze of my memory I recollected it as a B&W film.
Very cool to see one is from my other hometown of Cumberland!
Although the 1980’s movie is all I could find, his story might’ve been part of a B&W film, too.
RIP Calvin Graham.
I did a little research. Did you?
Not worth arguing about, but you picked the fight—not I.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.