US Presidency
1942

Naturally, on my trip I was most interested in watching the training of our fighting forces. All of our combat units that go overseas must consist of young, strong men who have had thorough training. ( A ) An Army division that has an average age of twenty-three or twenty-four is a better fighting unit than one which has an average age of thirty three or thirty four. The more of such troops we have in the field, the sooner the war will be won, and the smaller will be the cost in casualties. Therefore, I believe that it will be necessary to lower the present minimum age limit for Selective Service from twenty years down to eighteen. We have learned how inevitable that is and how important to the speeding up of victory. I can very thoroughly understand the feelings of all parents whose sons have entered our armed forces. I have an appreciation of that feeling and so has my wife.