Volunteered?
By this time in the war they were drafting you before you could volunteer.
I had five uncles in the war. None of them “volunteered.” That stuff wore off as soon as the telegrams started coming home all around them.
Being drafted doesn’t make you a coward. They fought just as good as the “volunteers.” But don’t kid yourself that every red blooded American rushed down to the recruiting office on their 18th birthday.
I am not under any Hollywood illusions that our troops were all eager to join up, etc. I originally had “or drafted” in my post, but edited it out to uncomplicate the point. Bad choice I guess.
“But don’t kid yourself that every red blooded American rushed down to the recruiting office on their 18th birthday.“
….Or that they were all signing up for the infantry. They gave my father this choice: Cook, Airborne. He was assigned to Ft Dix for the duration. Well within driving range of his LI home.
My grandfather was 34 years old with kids when he went into and served in a non-combat position in the Philippines.