WW II Draft - Fathers vs. Nonfathers

Percent Serving in Armed Forces (Drafted and Enlisted) per age and Martial Status Ages 18-37 as of August 1, 1945:

Ages 18-25
Non-Fathers - 70%
Fathers - 58%

Ages 26-29
Non-Fathers - 67%
Fathers - 36%

Ages 30-33
Non-Fathers - 54%
Fathers - 14%

Ages 34-37
Non-Fathers - 45%
Fathers - 10%

Note: Father defined as Married with child born before September 30, 1942.

Drafting Fathers In WW II

The US tried to avoid drafting fathers in WW II, or more accurately "Pre-Pearl Harbor" fathers - defined as married men with kids born before September 1942. 6.2 million fathers aged 18-37 were exempt from the draft until October 1943. Then manpower shortages forced their induction. The drafting of fathers increased as follows:

October 1943 - 13,000 drafted or 7 percent of total
November 1943 - 26,000 drafted or 13 percent of total
December 1943 - 51,000 drafted or 26 percent of total

The numbers of fathers increased until in April 1944 half the month's inductees or about 100,000 fathers were drafted. Between October 1943 and December 1945 approximately 1,000,000 pre-pearl harbor fathers were inducted. By V-J day out of the 6,200,000 fathers - 1, 250,000 or 20 percent were in the military and 58 percent of all fathers 18-25 were in the military.

Approximately 1/3 of the men drafted from October 1943 to December 1945 were Fathers. Sadly, the ones drafted were used primarily in the Navy or Infantry and suffered proportionately high casualties.