This page contains a huge downloadable collection of correspondence between Richard Rawe, his local draft board and other government officials after he was ordered to report for military duty. Richard saved every letter (and even the envelopes) from 1952 when he was 18 and being called up for military duty until 1960 when he was 26 and too old to be drafted.
What makes this collection unique and special is that there are many, many important private letters from Watchtower attorney, Hayden Covington to Richard containing instructions and advice. This is historical material that allows us to peer into the legal mind of Covington with regards to the draft situation during that time period. These letters also serve to give us a glimpse into a time in America when one young JW man refused to become part of the military. Why? Because for him and all other JW men of draft age it was a requirement of their religion – not because they were pacifists in the strictest sense in that they believed God’s war at the Battle of Armageddon was justified.
Browse these document downloads from Richard Rawe’s historic collections:
- Rawe Letter to WT Society RE: Conscientious Objector form-12/7/52
- Rawe Letter to SS System-Notice of Appeal-12/17/1952
- Rawe Letter to SS RE: Notice of Appeal-12/17/52
- Rawe Affidavit and Notes-1952 / 1953
- Rawe Letter to SS System-6/9/1953
- Rawe Letter to Gen Hershey-6/10/1953
- Rawe Draft Board Meeting-01/05/1954
- Rawe Copy Local Board Meeting-01/05/1954
- Rawe Letter to Covington-01/12/1954
- Rawe Selective Service – Notice of Appeal-01/12/1954
- Rawe Receipt for letter to Appeal Board-01/12/1954
- Rawe Cover Letter to Covington Re: Notice of Appeal-01/12/1954
- Rawe Cover Letter from Covington Re: Appeal Letter-01/15/1954
- Rawe WA State Headquarters Letter to Local Board-01/20/1954
- Rawe Investigative Report-Prepared-03/22/1954
- Rawe Dept of Justice-Notice of Hearing-04/20/1954
- Rawe Addendum No.1-Instructions to Hearing Officers-(no date)
- Rawe Letter to Covington-04/23/1954
- Rawe Letter to H. T. Davenport-Assistant to Attorney General-4/23/1954
- Rawe Letter Hearing Officer-04/26/1954
- Rawe Substance of Hearing-5/7/1954
- Rawe Letter to Selective Service System-5/10/1954
- Rawe Letter to Attorney General-5/10/1954
- Rawe Letter to Covington-5/10/1954
- Rawe Questions Asked by SS Board-(no date)
- Memorandum-Motion for Argument-May 1954
- Memorandum To JW Concerned With The Draft-July 1954
- Memorandum-Justice Dept Failure
- Memorandum-New Procedure In Dept Of Justice to be Followed by JW-April 1955
- Memorandum-Misc. Covington Letters-1955-1956
- Rawe Letters RE: F.B.I.-June 1956
- Rawe Copy of Bush Letter-2/15/1957
- Rawe Letter to Covington RE: Income Tax Preparation-4/2/1957
- Rawe Letter from Covington RE: Income Tax Return-4/4/1957
- Rawe Letter to Covington RE: Pate Opinions-5/2/1957
- Rawe Letter from Covington RE: Pate Opinions-5/8/1957
- Memorandum-New Procedure In Dept Of Justice to be Followed by JW-July 1957
- Rawe Letter from Local Board to WA State SS-9/9/1957
- Rawe Letter from WA State HQ to Local Board-9/10/1957
- Rawe Letter from SS RE: Reopening of Case-9/11/1957
- Rawe Letter to Covington RE: Classification-9/16/1957
- Rawe Letter from Covington RE: Classification-9/18/1957
- Rawe Letter to Covington RE: Classification Case-9/26/1957
- Rawe Letter to SS RE: Clarification on Classification-9/26/1957
- Rawe Letter to WT Society RE: Correction of Pioneer Assignment Date-9/26/1957
- Rawe Letter from SS RE: Clasification-9/27/1957
- Rawe Letter from WT RE: Pioneer Assignment Date-9/30/1957
- Rawe Letter from SS RE: Postponement of Local Board Meeting-10/1/1957
- Rawe Letter from Covington RE: Material Sent to Draft Board-10/8/1957
- Rawe Letter from Covington RE: Info Sent to Draft Board-10/10/1957
- Rawe Letter to Local Board RE: Info to be Considered Next Meeting-10/17/1957
- Rawe Letter from SS RE: Notification of Board Meeting-10/30/1957
- Rawe Letter from Local Board RE: Decision of Reopened Case-11/5/1957
- Rawe Letter to SS RE: Classification Decision-11/11/1957
- Rawe Letter to Covington Updating Case-11/11/1957
- Rawe Letter from SS-RE: Personal Appearance Request-11/25/1957
- Rawe Summary of Oral Info Presented to Board-12/3/1957
- Rawe Letter to Covington RE: Info presented to Board-12/4/1957
- Rawe Letter to Covington RE: Statement On Appeal-12/11/1957
- Rawe Letter to S.S. RE-Classification Appeal-12/11/1957
- Rawe Letter from Covington-12/16/1957
- Rawe RE: Pioneer School Acceptance-5/23/1958
- Rawe Supplemental Inquiry-June 1958 / June 1959
- Rawe RE: Draft Case-6/23/1959
- Rawe C.O. Statements and Claims-7/6/1959
- Rawe Discussion with Hearing Officer-7/7/1959
- Rawe Letter to Covington-7/8/1959
- Rawe Letter from Covington-7/13/1959
- Rawe Letter to SSS RE: Change of Address-10/29/1959
- Rawe Letter from SSS-11/16/1959
- Rawe Letter to Covington RE: Appeal Board recommendations-11/17/1959
- Rawe Letter from Covington-11/23/1959
- Rawe Letter to Covington-12/2/1959
- Rawe Letter from Covington-12/10/1959
- Rawe Letter to Covington RE: Classification from Appeal Board-1/12/1960
- Rawe Letter to Covington RE: Info Sent to SSS-1/20/1960
- Rawe Letter from SSS-1/26/1960
- Rawe Letter from SSS RE:Decision of Status-1/29/1960
- Rawe Letter from SSS RE-Appeal to The President-3/9/1960
- Rawe Letter to Covington-3/10/1960
- Rawe Letter from Covington-4/14/1960
- Rawe Letter to Covington-4/18/1960