Don’t tell my grandfather that WW2 vets were exempt. Americans wanted to win it and didn’t want to hear from Truman it’s a police action or that is a stalemate.
Which was a different kind of unpopular then Nam.
WW2 vets were exempt from
being drafted. If they were still in the 'active reserves' [National Guard etc] I imagine they'd have been re-activated, and naturally re-elistment was an option [of the 1.3m who did join up, I can imagine a lot were WW2 veterans, which would have been
very welcome to add some vital combat experience to what is raw levies using mainly old WW2 kit to boot. WW2 NCO vets would have been greeted with open arms.]
WW2 conscription in the US covered those born between '05 and '27, and Korea's pool was '21 to '34. What's more, there was also a deferment for married men* [which would have snagged more of the WW2-age than the teens]. If we consider this, Korea was fought [by the Americans, and I suspect the other Anglos] by generally speaking the 'kid brothers' of the WW2 veterans.
Ones who had [generally] been gangly teens who'd watched their 'big brothers' come back in 1945 with medals and victory parades. Now, it's time to show that you can do that stuff too... and all you can score is a damn
draw**. Bet this generated a few slightly dismissive sneers from the 'Greatest Generation'. Or worse, figurative 'there there, you tried you best' condescending head-pats from said 'big brothers'*** So you keep your head down and mouth zipped.
* I suspect this added to the American 'Baby Boom'. Twentysomethings quickly marrying to avoid the draft, but not knowedgeable about contraception...
** The fact that 'victory' in this case was impossible is beside the point.
They managed it, so why can't you?
*** Anyone who's got older siblings knows this feeling. Esp if they're considerably older than you.