I was in a discussion with guys that came of age in the late 60s and no one can remember the opening greeting from your selective service board. Anyone remember?? Didn’t it go “greetings from ”
I don’t remember that…anyone else? Looks like its beer owing time
“Dear Cannon Fodder,”
I always thought it was “Greetings from the President of the United States.”
My recollection is that it said “Greetings from the President”. I think it than “You are hereby directed to…” a placde for a physical.
I think I have a couple buried in a drawer. It was one test I was happy to fail - 3 times.
-I registered in 1972-lucky in that Selective Service said I couldn’t be inducted before early '74 or later. It never came to that, but I kept the card for the requisite seven years, a bit apprehensive.
I don’t remember if registrees of my vintage had an induction lottery. The war was very much distinguished by race and class as student
deferments were available through most of the war to those with college money. Student deferments were stopped eventually but not before many avoided duty. It seems reminiscent now of the $300 draft-buyout available to inductees during the civil war.
-I took the Coast Guard entrance exams in late '73
as they promised bonuses and guaranteed assignments, perhaps because the pool of applicants dried up once there was no fear of induction and going to fight a ground war in Viet Nam. A favorite uncle served in CG in WW II, making thirteen round trips to Liverpool from Boston & Halifax, towing any torpedoed ship still afloat to England, Canada or the states with a salvage tug. His last duty marooned his ship at Enewietok (before the A-bomb tests) with a frozen main thrust bearing, and his crew
spent months chipping, painting, drinking and diving the clear waters in a jury-rigged copper dive helmet run off the ships compressor.
-Its amazing the most danger these guys experienced during their long service in war zones was during their dives-with no education in dive physiology. A pro diver he told about it after the war blanched when told of the rig.