Dad dodges the draft

It’s interesting the pieces of a parent’s history you come across after they pass. I found Dad’s draft status card recently. Dad always claimed his flat feet (those fallen arches) kept him out of the military. I’m not sure about that, as the code on his card, 5A, means, “Registrant who is over either the age of liability (26) or (where applicable) the previous deferment age of liability (35).” The card is dated April 11, 1958, a day after Dad would have turned 26.

I don’t see Dad as being a military kind of guy, though he did love his adopted country dearly. His long blue-collar work history sums up the typical American worker nicely. It also reflects kindly on immigration, as my dad contributed to the American workforce and stayed out of trouble while he lived in this country. As I’ve said before, Dad was equally proud of being an Irishman and an American.