Was John Wayne a draft doger?

Answer 1

no he was not he wanted to join john fords outfit in the second world war but was refused on many counts he was not a1 due to injuries playing football he had 4 children which exepmpted him he was not a coward he wanted to fight and because he did not or was not excepted haunted him for the rest of his life

Answer 2

Wayne obtained 3-A status, "deferred for [family] dependency reasons." He told friends he'd enlist after he made just one or two more movies. The real question is why he never did so. Wayne went out of his way to have the studio cook up reasons to get him his deferment. In 1944, Wayne was re-classified as 1-a, only to have the studio get him a deferment "in support of national interest." He was re-classified as 2-a. This was later revoked and he was classed 1-a again, but the studio interceded again and he was re-classified 2-a until the end of the war.