During the Vietnam War, some men volunteered to go, while others were volunteered by their government. Whether they were enlistees or draftees, one thing they may have had in common was their experiences with the Selective Service system.

The Selective Service Act was enacted by Congress in 1948 to provide the United States with manpower should the country ever need to supplement active and reserve duty personnel. Under the direction of General Lewis B. Hershey, the Selective Service effectively and without interruption provided young men for America's military manpower needs from the end of the Korean War until the U.S. military involvement in Vietnam accelerated in 1965. Most of the 8,000 to 10,000 men who were drafted each month during this period went directly into the U.S. Army. Some 4,000 draft boards, in cities and towns across the country, processed young men who were required by law to register...