He also would have turned 18 when there was a draft, which didn’t end until 1973. It always amazes me when I check up on the “tough guys’ who were quite willing in their youth to watch as other men left to train and serve. By the way, Sherrif Joe served and he’s basically in the same age group.
Not trying to argue here, but not everyone was drafted. And not everyone wants to volunteer to go to war. It doesnt make them less a man.
If someone stood for the draft, and their “number did not come up” are they in the same boat as someone that took off, got half a dozen deferments, or otherwise “avoided” the draft?
As an example, all of my uncles that served in WWII—every one of six of them saw combat. Some were recognized for heroism in one way or another. Every single one of them was dragged kicking and screaming into the army.
They are all good men. They just did not want to die in combat.
For five of them, that was accomplished.