My grandfather was 4F in WWII due to epilepsy, and while he never discussed his feelings with me directly, the family gossip is that he always felt inferior because of it. Yes, he missed out on the death in combat, horrific injuries, or PTSD that were so common among men who became soldiers, but he also missed out on the chance to prove himself under fire, and he didn't participate in the defining experience of his generation. What can I say, young men are fools who don't understand war before they experience it, they think of it as a game or free travel or some sort of adventure, or a way to experience the heights of human experience while the depths happen to someone else. If they understood the reality, they'd haul off to Tierra del Fuego instead.
I don't think this is something a young man like George Bailey would think rationally about, he'd feel rejected and inferior because a physical defect made a difference in the course of his life, and made him officially inferior to his peers. That's what'd matter to a young man who lacked self-esteem.
PS: The Marvel film "Captain America: The First Avenger" addressed this subject surprisingly well, I think.
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