What happened on your birthday?

What’s Your Vietnam War Draft Lottery Number?

The Vietnam War draft lottery ran from 1969 to 1972. If you were born on August 31, would your number have been called?

  • Vietnam War 1969 Lottery
    CalledDrafted
    11
  • Vietnam War 1970 Lottery
    Not CalledNot drafted
    275
  • Vietnam War 1971 Lottery
    Not CalledNot drafted
    111
  • Vietnam War 1972 Lottery
    Not CalledNot drafted
    218

Read on to learn more about the Vietnam war draft lottery.

What happened today

1970

Lonnie McLucas convicted of torturing and murdering fellow Black Panther Party member Alex Rackley in the first of the New Haven Black Panther Trials.

Famous birthdays

1948

Lowell Ganz, screenwriter, (A League of Their Own) director, producer, actor.

more events on August 31

  • 2006

    Edvard Munch’s famed painting The Scream recovered by Norwegian police. The artwork had been stolen on Aug. 22, 2004.

  • 1997

    New York Yankees retire Don Mattingly’s #23 (first baseman, coach, manager).

  • Diana, Princess of Wales, dies in a Paris car crash along with her companion Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul while fleeing paparazzi.

  • 1994

    The Irish Republican Army (IRA) announces a “complete cessation of military operations,” opening the way to a political settlement in Ireland for the first time in a quarter of a century.

  • Last Russian troops leave Estonia and Latvia.

  • 1990

    Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr. become first father and son to play on same team simultaneously in professional baseball (Seattle Mariners).

  • East and West Germany sign the Treaty of Unification (Einigungsvertrag) to join their legal and political systems.

  • 1987

    Longest mine strike in South Africa’s history ends, after 11 people were killed, 500 injured and 400 arrested.

  • 1986

    A Russian cargo ship collides with cruise ship Admiral Nakhimov, killing 398.

  • 1985

    Police capture Richard Ramirez, dubbed the “Night Stalker” for a string of gruesome murders that stretched from Mission Viejo to San Francisco, Cal.

  • 1980

    Polish government forced to sign Gdansk Agreement allowing creation of the trade union Solidarity.

  • 1970

    Queen Rania of Jordan (nee Rania al Yassin), wife of King Abdullah II.

  • Deborah Ann “Debbie” Gibson, singer, songwriter, record producer, actress; youngest artist ever to write, produce and perform a Billboard #1 single (“Foolish Beat”).

  • Lonnie McLucas convicted of torturing and murdering fellow Black Panther Party member Alex Rackley in the first of the New Haven Black Panther Trials.

  • 1968

    The Dasht-e Bayaz 7.3 earthquake in NE Iran completely destroys five villages and severely damages six others.

Aug 30
Aug 32