CAP Parachute Units

[pierson777]

There are several stories of teenagers that lied about their age and enlisted early.  17 year olds could legally get get parent permission to join the military back then and still today. 

In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was 26.  In Vietnam he was 19.  In in in in in in in Vietnam he was 19.

It was not 19.  That is a myth.  For Enlisted, it was 22.  For Officers, it was 28.  Warrant war 24.  11B was 22.  Overall, was 23.
These numbers are from the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF).

Are you telling me that a 1980's pop song lied to me!!??  Well, then that Paul Hardcastle is full of you know what!!

[bosshawk]

Don't doubt the statistics, but I sure saw a lot of 19 and 20 year old helicopter pilots.  I celebrated(?)my 30th birthday in Saigon and I wasn't one of the "old" guys.  Of course, I had had tours in Germany and Korea before I got toVN in Dec 65.

[LSThiker]

Don't doubt the statistics, but I sure saw a lot of 19 and 20 year old helicopter pilots.  I celebrated(?)my 30th birthday in Saigon and I wasn't one of the "old" guys.  Of course, I had had tours in Germany and Korea before I got toVN in Dec 65.

I would not disagree with you on that.  As an average means half, that would mean half were 22 and below

I was surprised about the WWII figure, which was reported in the Westmoreland papers.  I do not now how 26 was calculated so I do take it with a grain of salt.

[LSThiker]

Are you telling me that a 1980's pop song lied to me!!??  Well, then that Paul Hardcastle is full of you know what!!

Shocking is not it.

[Mitchell 1969]

There are several stories of teenagers that lied about their age and enlisted early.  17 year olds could legally get get parent permission to join the military back then and still today. 

In World War II the average age of the combat soldier was 26.  In Vietnam he was 19.  In in in in in in in Vietnam he was 19.

It was not 19.  That is a myth.  For Enlisted, it was 22.  For Officers, it was 28.  Warrant war 24.  11B was 22.  Overall, was 23.
These numbers are from the Combat Area Casualty File (CACF).

Are you telling me that a 1980's pop song lied to me!!??  Well, then that Paul Hardcastle is full of you know what!!

The draft lottery, when it was implemented during Vietnam era, targeted 19 year olds. But that only got them into basic and AIT. Lots of them were nearing 20 or over 20 before they ever got to Vietnam. Also, the draft picked up people well into their 20's who lost their student deferments. (Remember when Dean Wormer told the Delta house brothers that he was notifying their draft boards when they were all expelled? That stuff actually happened to real people).

[bosshawk]

Pathetic story about a draft board and my student deferment.  In about 1968, I received a letter from my draft board, asking whether or not I could defend my having a student deferment.  I replied to the effect that I had just completed my 10th year on active duty and was a Major in the Army.  By return mail, I received a new card, making me a 4A, I think.  That meant that I had satsified my draft obligation.  Never heard from them again and I had 30 years of service.

It is correct that some guys got drafted because someone reported them as no longer being in school.  When I commanded an MI detachment, I had about half of my EM as draftees.  Mostly good guys.

[SarDragon]

The draft lottery, when it was implemented during Vietnam era, targeted 19 year olds. But that only got them into basic and AIT. Lots of them were nearing 20 or over 20 before they ever got to Vietnam. Also, the draft picked up people well into their 20's who lost their student deferments. (Remember when Dean Wormer told the Delta house brothers that he was notifying their draft boards when they were all expelled? That stuff actually happened to real people).

Raises hand. Screwed around in school, lost my deferment, and got sucked in as a 20 yo, right before the lottery. Folks who got reclassified popped right to the top of the stack.

When the first round of numbers was announced, I was 365/26. Oh, well. Ended up staying in the Navy almost 21 years.