I was five years old. We were having dinner with the people next door. My wonderful father didn’t believe I should have toast at the table until adults finished so I was in the living room with the radio on. When I heard the news, I told the adults.
The next day, every man in America volunteered to serve the country. My dad was 4F (ineligible} because of heart condition.
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I was five years old. We were having dinner with the people next door. My wonderful father didn’t believe I should have toast at the table until adults finished so I was in the living room with the radio on. When I heard the news, I told the adults
The next day, every man in America volunteered to serve the country. My dad was 4F (ineligible} because of heart condition.
In 1940 the US population was 132 million. If half were males, that's 76 million. At least half of those would have been too young, too old, or not physically fit for military service. So 16 million out of 38 means nearly half served (and it could have been a larger proportion of those able to serve).