Veterans History Project

The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

Harold "Spike" Steele was a subject of the draft. He was on the farm in Banner County, minding his own business when the "greetings" letter arrived. Soon, he would be headed to Fort Logan, Colo., for a physical and beyond that, who knew? Draftees didn't have a lot of say in their immediate futures.

After passing the physical exam and other tests, he...