Library of Congress project has preserved stories of thousands of veterans By USA Today Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014, 5:15 p.m. WASHINGTON — With 94,000 personal histories of American veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam and more recent conflicts, the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress is the largest collection of its kind in the country. As Veterans Day approaches on Nov. 11, Robert Patrick, director of the project, said it provides a way for people to thank and honor veterans by listening to and recording their stories. “Its about the human experience of war,” Patrick said of the program that began in 2000. Much of the initial focus of the project was on gathering stories of World War II veterans, who are dying at a rate of about 500 per day, according to the National World War II Museum. Theirs comprise about 56,000 of the stories in the collection, with Korean veterans accounting for about 12,000, and Vietnam veterans 17,000. In addition to oral histories and memoirs, the project collects and preserves other materials, including photographs and letters. A reproduction of a letter in the collection written by a soldier on toilet paper is among the many artifacts adorning the walls of the projects small offices near the U.S. Capitol. With a relatively small staff, the project — part of the American Folklife Center — has relied on veterans groups, public libraries, historical societies and other groups to promote its work. Patrick said the archive is being used by academic researchers and as part of the curriculum in several schools. He said it is very easy for anyone to participate — “I like to say this isnt a Ken Burns production” — by simply sitting down and taping a minimum of a 30-minute interview and submitting first-person written histories and other original documents and photos. A kit explaining how to participate is on the projects website, loc.gov/vets. Besides the historical value, Patrick said, allowing veterans to tell their stories can be cathartic and bridge generations. He said an 88-year-old veteran brought his family to the project offices to listen to his interview. “Theyre crying. Were crying,” Patrick recalled. The submissions of about 16,000 veterans in the collection have been digitized and can be viewed or listened to online. “It isnt just the grand and the glorious we are looking for,” Patrick said. “Everybody has a story. They are just as compelling, just as interesting.” Ashleigh Bryant, deputy national director of communication for Disabled American Veterans, has personal and professional reasons for supporting the history project. She said her grandfather, a tank driver in World War II, died before she had a chance to talk to him about his experiences in war. “I have all these photos but no stories to go with them,” Bryant said. “Without stopping to talk to them, we are losing a piece of history.” A Marine veteran herself, Bryant recorded her own experiences in Afghanistan for the history project. “Years from now, my kids, my grandkids, will want to hear what life was like for me,” Bryant said. How to participate To find out how to submit material to the Veterans History Project, go to the website at loc.gov/vets and read the field kit and review a companion video. Or you can order a printed version of the field kit by calling 888-371-5848.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 13:07:07 +0000
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