Potentially, although it would have depended upon both the time period in which he was examined for military service and the prevailing standards in effect.
The U.S. Army's physical and psychological standards for entry during the World War II period were defined by Mobilization Regulation (MR) 1-9, first issued on August 1940. MR 1-9 replaced MR 1-5, first issued on 5 December 1932, with change 1, 29 July 1938. The "peacetime" regulation that governed the physical and psychological standards for entry into the Regular Army, National Guard, and Organized Reserve was Army Regulation (AR) 40-105, issued on 20 June 1921 and revised on 29 May 1923. MR 1-9 was reissued on 15 October 1942, modified by change 1 on 22 January 1943, and reissued again on 19 April 1944.
Men classified as suitable for "limited service" only were initially not inducted. On 26 June 1942, amid a manpower crunch resulting from the activation rate of new units outpacing the induction rate of new men, the Army announced effective 1 August 1942, that men classified for limited service only, but having "specified defects qualifying them for limited service" would be inducted. These defects in regard to hearing included "Those with hearing in one or both ears less than 10/20 but not less than 5/20. Complete deafness in one ear provided hearing was not less than 10/20 in the other," "Those with loss of one or both external ears, if the individual had followed a useful vocation in civil life," and "Those with unilateral atresia of the external auditory canal." The total number of "limited service" men was set at 10 percent of the total on active duty. "The induction quota for limited service men was dropped to 5 percent in February 1943. In April 1943, induction of limited service men was suspended completely for a period of 2 weeks, then resumed again at a 5 percent quota." In July 1943, the term "limited service" was ordered eliminated from personnel records, but "limited service" essentially continued as "men who were not physically qualified for general service, depending upon their skills, ability, intelligence, and aptitude," acceptable in "controlled numbers." In November 1943, the quota was returned to the previous 10 percent.
Definitions:
Acute: Developing quickly and lasting only a short time
Atresia: A case in which an orifice or passage in the body is abnormally closed or absent
Chronic: Developing slowly and occurring over an extended period of time
Mastoiditis: Infection of the mastoid bone behind the ear
Membrana tympani: Eardrum
Otitis media: Ear infection
Purulent: Containing or producing pus
Unilateral: Affecting one side only
| Category | 31 Aug. 1940-14 Mar. 1942 | 15 Mar.-14 Oct. 1942 | 15 Oct. 1942-21 Jan. 1943 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Service | Hearing in each ear of 10/20 or better. | No change | Hearing in each ear of 10/20 or better; 5/20 in one ear and 15/20 in the other; 0/20 in one ear and 20/20 in the other. |
| Limited Service (1) | Healed scar of mastoid operation without marked deformity and if hearing is not below requirements. | No change | |
| Limited Service (2) | Hearing in one or both ears less than 10/20 but more than 5/20. | Hearing in one or both ears less than 20/20 but not less than 5/20. Complete deafness in one ear if the hearing is not less than 10/20 in the other ear. | No change |
| Limited Service (3) | Loss of one or both external ears, if the registrants have followed a useful vocation in civilian life and the deformity is not too greatly disfiguring. | No change | No change |
| Limited Service (4) | Unilateral atresia of the external auditory canal. | ||
| Limited Service (5) | Perforation of the membrana tympani provided there is a trustworthy history of no symptoms of otitis media or disease of mastoid during previous 2 years. | ||
| Non-acceptable (1) | Hearing less than the minimum prescribed under limited service. | No change | No change |
| Non-acceptable (2) | Chronic purlulent otitis media, with or without mastoiditis. | No change | No change |
| Non-acceptable (3) | Chronic perforation of membrana tympani. | No change | No change |
| Non-acceptable (4) | Atresia of both external auditory canals. | ||
| Non-acceptable (5) | |||
| Non-acceptable (6) |
| Category | 22 Jan. 1943-18 Apr. 1944 | 19 Apr. 1944- |
|---|---|---|
| General Service | Hearing in each ear of 8/15 or better. Effective 1 February 1943 per AG letter to CGs, Svc Comds, 22 Jan. 1943: Hearing, normal, 15/15 for each ear as tested by the whispered voice. | Hearing in each ear of 8/15 or better, or 15/15 in one ear and less than 8/15 in the other. |
| Limited Service (1) | No change | No change |
| Limited Service (2) | Hearing in one or both ears less than 8/15 but not less than 5/15 in either ear. Deafness in one ear if the hearing is not less than 15/15 in the other ear. | There are no defects in hearing that warrant initial classification for limited service. |
| Limited Service (3) | ||
| Limited Service (4) | ||
| Limited Service (5) | ||
| Non-acceptable (1) | No change | No change |
| Non-acceptable (2) | No change | Purulent otitis media with or without mastoiditis. |
| Non-acceptable (3) | Perforation of the membrana tympani. | No change |
| Non-acceptable (4) | Atresia of the external auditory canal, or tumors of this part. | Severe atresia of the external auditory canal. |
| Non-acceptable (5) | Acute or chronic mastoiditis. | No change |
| Non-acceptable (6) | Total loss of an external ear. | No change |
Source:
Foster, William B., Ida Levin Hellman, Douglas Hesford, and Darrell G. McPherson. Medical Department, United States Army: Physical Standards in World War II. Washington, D.C.: Office of the Surgeon General, Department of the Army, 1967.