Drafted

President Roosevelt requested a conscription law in 1940. In September Congress passed the Selective Service bill, the first peace time draft in U.S. history (Balkoski, 2005). In October official orders were issued activating units of the National Guard, including the 29th Infantry Division of Maryland (Balkowski, 2005).

As 1941 began, draftees and National Guard units alike, complained but did their duty. However, as the months of busy-work rolled by dissatisfaction increased, especially for those Guard units posted far from their homes (Balkowski, 2005). When President Roosevelt asked Congress to extend National Guard and draftee service from one year to one year and a half, morale plummeted, and many rebelled. The August 18, 1941 issue of Life magazine told of the depressed state of troops of the 27th Infantry Division from New York. The author told of seeing OHIO (Over the Hill in October) painted on walls around the camp (Balkowski, 2005). Further inquiries revealed this report to be generally true of National Guard troops across the U.S.

Everything changed on December 7, 1941 with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. The United States declared war on Japan, Germany and Italy.

According to his draft card (Archive Item #105), Ralph had registered for the draft July 24, 1941 in New Lexington, Ohio, just 12 days after marrying Margie Cooperrider (Archive Item #316). He received his order to report (Archive Item #110) to the King Armory in New Lexington on January 26, 1943. He was 31 years old, and by this time Ralph had moved to Columbus, Ohio and lived at 1480 Bryden Road. On January 27, he requested permission to report (Archive Item #115) in Columbus, rather than in New Lexington. On January 29 his request for "transfer of delivery" was approved, and he was ordered to report for duty in Franklin County at 7:15 a.m. February 5, 1943 (Archive Item #116).

Balkowski, Joseph. 2005. Beyond the beachhead: The 29th infantry division in Normandy. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books.