That’s why the Navy recruited older men for the SeaBees in WWII. Lots of skilled tradesmen, who were out of the age brackets for the draft.
I was a Navy Reserve recruiter from 1986 to 1998. We had a program call the “Advanced Paygrade Program” where we would enlist people at a paygrade equal to their civilian experience and education, up to E-6 (which was rare). I made a living out of recruiting with this program. We recruited welders, machinists (mechanics), equipment operators, electricians, even clerks and storekeepers. On their first annual two weeks of training they would go to a mini-boot camp where they would learn Navy tradition, how to wear uniforms, etc. The program was around for years but was discontinued shortly after I retired.
“That’s why the Navy recruited older men for the SeaBees in WWII. Lots of skilled tradesmen, who were out of the age brackets for the draft.”
That’s a fact. The SeaBees performed some construction miracles.