Veterans interviews go to Library of Congress

  • Published
  • By Ryan Stark
  • Nucleus writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  A local senior citizens' organization and the Library of Congress are preserving veterans' memories for future generations.

The nonprofit organization Albuquerque OASIS is taking part in the Veterans History Project, which was initiated by Congress in 2000 to preserve, archive and share stories of veterans who served in all eras.

The recorded stories are stored at the Library of Congress' American Folklife Center in Washington, created to preserve the experiences of everyday Americans.

The project was born from a desire to preserve veterans' memories -- especially those of older veterans -- before their stories are lost forever, according to OASIS Volunteer Coordinator Marcia Stevenson, who manages the project locally.

"Congress realized the World War II vets were passing away, and we need to know what it was like to be the soldier in the field or the sailor at sea," she said. "We want to know their stories, not just the stories of famous higher-ups."

OASIS has recorded interviews with more than 600 veterans. The interviews are burned to compact disc and copies are given to the veteran, the Library of Congress and the New Mexico Veterans' Memorial near Kirtland.

Veterans who served in conflicts from World War II through Operation Iraqi Freedom have participated, Stevenson said. There are also stories from those who served during peacetime.

"They are very powerful stories," she said. "The hardships people had to endure are sometimes hard to imagine."

Stevenson said there was a 97-year-old veteran who recently recorded his memory of experiences in the Bataan Death March and as a prisoner of war.

Trained interviewers attend the sessions and ask what veterans did before and after their time of service to give a well-rounded picture of the person's life to future generations.

Recording these stories often helps veterans, some of whom have never told their stories or shared the specifics of their experiences.

"I interviewed one man who said he had never told anyone this much detail about his service," she said. "It's hard for them to talk about things that happened to them, things they saw or things they might have endured while they served."

Anyone who served in the armed forces or related civilian agencies during times of war or peace is invited to participate. OASIS is also seeking volunteer interviewers to help with the project.

For more information on the Veterans History Project, visit loc.gov/vets. Those interested in sharing their military story, or who want to volunteer to help the Veterans History Project, can call 884-4529.