Draft Lottery results for the Vietnam War in 1969

1969 Draft Lottery during the Vietnam War

Vietnam draft lottery focused on 19 year old men
December 1, 1969 was the first draft lottery held since 1942, during World War II. This drawing determined the order of induction for men born between January 1, 1944 and December 31, 1950. A large glass container held 366 blue plastic balls containing every possible birth date that affected men between 18 and 26 years old.

Congressman Alexander Pirnie of New York drawing the first ball. Photo: Selective Service System
Congressman Alexander Pirnie of New York drawing the first ball.
Photo: Selective Service System

Whose birthday was #1?

The first “ping-pong ball” drawn by Congressman Alexander Pirnie of the House Armed Services Committee was September 14th.

Further results of the 1969 draft lottery in 1970

1969 lottery numbers for 19 year old men were called at a rate of 30 per month during the first half of 1970.  For example, a man with a #131 was ordered to report for his Physical Exam in February 1970 and classified 1-A, then ordered to report for Induction into the US Army in May 1970. With the maximum of 30 numbers being drafted per month in early-1970, May’s quota of 30 ended up drafting men with the numbers 121 through 150.

Following Basic Combat Training (BCT) and Advanced Individual Training (AIT) a draftee might find himself in the Vietnam war zone as his first duty assignment, less than six months after entering BCT, which was commonly referred to as “Basic“.

Tracers during a ‘mad minute’ in Vietnam
Tracers during a ‘mad minute’ in Vietnam

What was the highest number called in the 1969 draft lottery?

The highest lottery number drafted that year was 195.

Check your birthday to see how YOU would have done in the draft:

Birthday   Number drawn

JANUARY
Jan 1    305
Jan 2    159
Jan 3    251
Jan 4    215
Jan 5    101
Jan 6    224
Jan 7    306
Jan 8    199
Jan 9    194
Jan 10   325
Jan 11   329
Jan 12   221
Jan 13   318
Jan 14   238
Jan 15   17
Jan 16   121
Jan 17   235
Jan 18   140
Jan 19   58
Jan 20   280
Jan 21   186
Jan 22   337
Jan 23   118
Jan 24   59
Jan 25   52
Jan 26   92
Jan 27   355
Jan 28   77
Jan 29   349
Jan 30   164
Jan 31   211

FEBRUARY
Feb 1    86
Feb 2    144
Feb 3    297
Feb 4    210
Feb 5    214
Feb 6    347
Feb 7    91
Feb 8    181
Feb 9    338
Feb 10   216
Feb 11   150
Feb 12   68
Feb 13   152
Feb 14   4
Feb 15   89
Feb 16   212
Feb 17   189
Feb 18   292
Feb 19   25
Feb 20   302
Feb 21   363
Feb 22   290
Feb 23   57
Feb 24   236
Feb 25   179
Feb 26   365
Feb 27   205
Feb 28   299
Feb 29   285

MARCH
Mar 1    108
Mar 2    29
Mar 3    267
Mar 4    275
Mar 5    293
Mar 6    139
Mar 7    122
Mar 8    213
Mar 9    317
Mar 10   323
Mar 11   136
Mar 12   300
Mar 13   259
Mar 14   354
Mar 15   169
Mar 16   166
Mar 17   33
Mar 18   332
Mar 19   200
Mar 20   239
Mar 21   334
Mar 22   265
Mar 23   256
Mar 24   258
Mar 25   343
Mar 26   170
Mar 27   268
Mar 28   223
Mar 29   362
Mar 30   217
Mar 31   30

APRIL
Apr 1    32
Apr 2    271
Apr 3    83
Apr 4    81
Apr 5    269
Apr 6    253
Apr 7    147
Apr 8    312
Apr 9    219
Apr 10   218
Apr 11   14
Apr 12   346
Apr 13   124
Apr 14   231
Apr 15   273
Apr 16   148
Apr 17   260
Apr 18   90
Apr 19   336
Apr 20   345
Apr 21   62
Apr 22   316
Apr 23   252
Apr 24   2
Apr 25   351
Apr 26   340
Apr 27   74
Apr 28   262
Apr 29   191
Apr 30   208

MAY
May 1    330
May 2    298
May 3    40
May 4    276
May 5    364
May 6    155
May 7    35
May 8    321
May 9    197
May 10   65
May 11   37
May 12   133
May 13   295
May 14   178
May 15   130
May 16   55
May 17   112
May 18   278
May 19   75
May 20   183
May 21   250
May 22   326
May 23   319
May 24   31
May 25   361
May 26   357
May 27   296
May 28   308
May 29   226
May 30   103
May 31   313

JUNE
Jun 1    249
Jun 2    228
Jun 3    301
Jun 4    20
Jun 5    28
Jun 6    110
Jun 7    85
Jun 8    366
Jun 9    335
Jun 10   206
Jun 11   134
Jun 12   272
Jun 13   69
Jun 14   356
Jun 15   180
Jun 16   274
Jun 17   73
Jun 18   341
Jun 19   104
Jun 20   360
Jun 21   60
Jun 22   247
Jun 23   109
Jun 24   358
Jun 25   137
Jun 26   22
Jun 27   64
Jun 28   222
Jun 29   353
Jun 30   209

JULY
Jul 1    93
Jul 2   350
Jul 3   115
Jul 4    279
Jul 5    188
Jul 6    327
Jul 7    50
Jul 8    13
Jul 9    277
Jul 10   284
Jul 11   248
Jul 12   15
Jul 13   42
Jul 14   331
Jul 15   322
Jul 16   120
Jul 17   98
Jul 18   190
Jul 19   227
Jul 20   187
Jul 21   27
Jul 22   153
Jul 23   172
Jul 24   23
Jul 25   67
Jul 26   303
Jul 27   289
Jul 28   88
Jul 29   270
Jul 30   287
Jul 31   193

AUGUST
Aug 1    111
Aug 2    45
Aug 3    261
Aug 4    145
Aug 5    54
Aug 6    114
Aug 7    168
Aug 8    48
Aug 9    106
Aug 10   21
Aug 11   324
Aug 12   142
Aug 13   307
Aug 14   198
Aug 15   102
Aug 16   44
Aug 17   154
Aug 18   141
Aug 19   311
Aug 20   344
Aug 21   291
Aug 22   339
Aug 23   116
Aug 24   36
Aug 25   286
Aug 26   245
Aug 27   352
Aug 28   167
Aug 29   61
Aug 30   333
Aug 31   11

SEPTEMBER
Sep 1    225
Sep 2    161
Sep 3    49
Sep 4    232
Sep 5    82
Sep 6    6
Sep 7    8
Sep 8    184
Sep 9    263
Sep 10   71
Sep 11   158
Sep 12   242
Sep 13   175
Sep 14   1
Sep 15   113
Sep 16   207
Sep 17   255
Sep 18   246
Sep 19   177
Sep 20   63
Sep 21   204
Sep 22   160
Sep 23   119
Sep 24   195
Sep 25   149
Sep 26   18
Sep 27   233
Sep 28   257
Sep 29   151
Sep 30   315

OCTOBER
Oct 1    359
Oct 2    125
Oct 3    244
Oct 4    202
Oct 5    24
Oct 6    87
Oct 7    234
Oct 8    283
Oct 9    342
Oct 10   220
Oct 11   237
Oct 12   72
Oct 13   138
Oct 14   294
Oct 15   171
Oct 16   254
Oct 17   288
Oct 18   5
Oct 19   241
Oct 20   192
Oct 21   243
Oct 22   117
Oct 23   201
Oct 24   196
Oct 25   176
Oct 26   7
Oct 27   264
Oct 28   94
Oct 29   229
Oct 30   38
Oct 31   79

NOVEMBER
Nov 1    19
Nov 2    34
Nov 3    348
Nov 4    266
Nov 5    310
Nov 6    76
Nov 7    51
Nov 8    97
Nov 9    80
Nov 10   282
Nov 11   46
Nov 12   66
Nov 13   126
Nov 14   127
Nov 15   131
Nov 16   107
Nov 17   143
Nov 18   146
Nov 19   203
Nov 20   185
Nov 21   156
Nov 22   9
Nov 23   182
Nov 24   230
Nov 25   132
Nov 26   309
Nov 27   47
Nov 28   281
Nov 29   99
Nov 30   174

DECEMBER
Dec 1    129
Dec 2    328
Dec 3    157
Dec 4    165
Dec 5    56
Dec 6    10
Dec 7    12
Dec 8    105
Dec 9    43
Dec 10   41
Dec 11   39
Dec 12   314
Dec 13   163
Dec 14   26
Dec 15   320
Dec 16   96
Dec 17   304
Dec 18   128
Dec 19   240
Dec 20   135
Dec 21   70
Dec 22   53
Dec 23   162
Dec 24   95
Dec 25   84
Dec 26   173
Dec 27   78
Dec 28   123
Dec 29   16
Dec 30   3
Dec 31   100

heavy-artilleryHeavy artillery firing in the Vietnam War zone

SELECTIVE SERVICE CLASSIFICATIONS

The following is a list of Selective Service classifications assigned by draft boards

Classification   Definition

I-A Available for military service

I-A-0 Conscientious objector available for noncombatant military service only

I-C Member of the armed forces of the U.S., the Coast and Geodetic Survey, or the Public Health Service

I-D Member of reserve component or student taking military training

I-H Registrant not currently subject to processing for induction

I-0 Conscientious objector available for civilian work contributing to the maintenance of the national health, safety, or interest

I-S Student deferred by statute (High School)

I-Y Registrant available for military service, but qualified for military only in the event of war or national emergency

I-W Conscientious objector performing civilian work contributing to the maintenance of the national health, safety, or interest

II-A Registrant deferred because of civilian occupation (except agriculture or activity in study)

II-C Registrant deferred because of agricultural occupation

II-D Registrant deferred because of study preparing for the ministry

II-S Registrant deferred because of activity in study

III-A Registrant with a child or children; registrant deferred by reason of extreme hardship to dependents

IV-A Registrant who has completed service; sole surviving son

IV-B Official deferred by law

IV-C Alien

IV-D Minister of religion or divinity student

IV-F Registrant not qualified for any military service

IV-G Registrant exempt from service during peace (surviving son or brother)

IV-W Conscientious objector who has completed alternate service contributing to the maintenance of the national health, safety, or interest in lieu of induction into the Armed Forces of the United States

V-A Registrant over the age of liability for military service

More: Vietnam War & Draft Lottery index

AFVN – American Forces Vietnam Network: Reminder to vote for those troops who were old enough to vote. Also a Bangkok R&R spot, and a warning about doing drugs. 55-second MP3 audio: