Preserving their stories: a tribute to veterans
Saturday - 5/26/2012, 9:04am ET
Kathy Stewart, wtop.com
WASHINGTON - They didn't get much of a welcome home after the Vietnam War, but 50 years later, on this Memorial Day, they're getting a unique tribute.
The Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress has posted a special Web presentation of Vietnam veterans, to run in a series over the next year, says Bob Patrick, director of the project.
It was started by Congress 12 years ago. The mandate was to collect and preserve veterans' wartime memories by creating oral histories through audio or video interviews.
The project includes first-hand accounts of veterans from World War I all the way up to current conflicts. Patrick says they also collect materials like photos, letters and diaries.
"We also think it's a great opportunity to take the step of listening to the veterans who are still with us, to hear their stories, to record their stories, to preserve their stories," he says. This way, their stories live on well after the veterans are no longer here.
The interviews are collected through a volunteer network of individuals and institutions across the country. To download a field kit and conduct an interview, go to the Library of Congress website.
Patrick says they are not looking for "a Hollywood movie" but just a simple conversation with a veteran. It should be at least 30 minutes long.
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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
