World War II Honoree

Don A. Hamilton

Hometown

Stillwater, Payne County, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED AS A BOARD MEMBER, AND THEN AS CHAIRMAN OF THE PAYNE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA SELECTIVE SERVICE BOARD (AKA 'DRAFT BOARD') BEGINNING OCTOBER, 1943. THE LOCAL DRAFT BOARD HAD TO CALL UP MEN VIA THE NATIONAL LOTTERY NUMBERS, WHICH DETERMINED THE ORDER IN WHICH A MAN WAS CONSIDERED FOR MILITARY SERVICE. THE BOARD ALSO GRANTED 'OCCUPATIONAL DEFERMENTS' FOR MEN BASED ON A NATIONAL LIST OF 'ESSENTIAL OCCUPATIONS.' THE PAYNE COUNTY BOARD MADE DECISIONS ON HOW TO INTERPRET AND APPLY THE NATIONAL POLICY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. ONE OF THE FIRST ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION BEFORE HIS BOARD WAS TO SET A POLICY REGARDING THE DEFERMENT OF FATHERS BECAUSE OF THEIR OCCUPATIONAL STATUS. IN THE PAST, THERE HAD BEEN ENOUGH MEN TO FILL MANPOWER QUOTAS WITHOUT TAKING FATHERS. THE SUPPLY OF CHILDLESS MEN IN THE COUNTY HAD BEEN EXHAUSTED BY LATE 1943 AND FATHERS WERE AMONG THOSE STILL AVAILABLE TO CALL TO SERVICE.