Veteran's History Project - Library of Congress

I have been watching the PBS special "the War" which is based on information about World War II collected by the Veteran's History Project. I hope to encourage more people to get involved with this project. I think it is a great project. I have learned a lot about military groups and operations I previously had never heard of. Veterans from all Wars are encouraged to participate. - Ian Bach

"The War" by Ken Burns, The story of World War II is a story shared by millions of Americans, but as time goes by, many of these stories are being lost. For those who served our nation, from the battlefront to the home front, every story deserves to be heard. That's where you can help.

PBS and Florentine Films have partnered with the Veterans History Project (VHP) in a massive effort to capture the stories of men and women who experienced the war first-hand before the generation that witnessed World War II has passed.

The Veterans History Project is part of the Library of Congress and honors American war veterans and civilian workers who supported them by preserving stories of their service to our country. VHP collects and archives the one-of-a-kind stories that represent the diversity of the veterans who served our country — veterans from all conflicts, from all branches of the military, all ranks, all races and ethnicities.

The Veterans History Project relies on volunteers to collect and preserve stories of wartime service.

Primary focus is on first-hand accounts of
U.S. Veterans from the following wars:

• World War I (1914-1920)
• World War II (1939-1946)
• Korean War (1950-1955)
• Vietnam War (1961-1975)
• Persian Gulf War (1990-1995)
• Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts (2001-present)

In addition, those U.S. citizen civilians who were actively involved in supporting war efforts (such as war industry workers, USO workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, etc.) are also invited to share their valuable stories.

How did the Veterans History Project start?

The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. The authorizing legislation (Public Law 106-380), sponsored by Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Steny Hoyer in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel in the U.S. Senate, received unanimous support and was signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton on October 27, 2000.

Organizations can become official partners: veterans' associations, military and history organizations, colleges and classrooms, and ongoing veterans' oral history projects. Please visit our partner page for more information on how to become an Official Partner or Official Youth Partner.

PBS Web page

http://www.pbs.org/thewar/vet_hist_project.htm