Veterans History Project nears 100,000 items

The Library of Congress has been working tirelessly to build an oral history collection to encapsulate veterans’ memories of war, and the project is nearing a major milestone of 100,000 records. The Veterans History Project is now in its fifteenth year. As of now, the Library of Congress holds more than 96,000 remembrances from veterans, including photos, oral history recordings, memoirs and letters that can be used by researchers and scholars alike. Organizers want to reach 100,000 mark by the end of this year. Bob Patrick, who is head of the project, stated that more than half of the material comes from World War II veterans (totaling 57,000 records). The rest comes from veterans who served in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans who do not live in the D.C.-area can record their own oral histories with family members using instructions on the library’s website.