Veterans History Project for Genealogy

Visit the Veterans History Project for genealogy research at www.Loc.gov/Vets. Or watch the video below for information about how to participate.

Veterans History Project for Genealogy Research

You’ll help the Library of Congress, honor your relative, and gain valuable information for your family history research. A project of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, the Veterans History Project has a straightforward mission. It “preserves and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.”

According to a Pew Research Survey, 61% of Americans have an immediate family member who has served in the military since World War II.

What Does the Veterans History Project Collect?

The Veterans History Project collects:

Personal narratives, including audio- and video-taped interviews and written memoirs
Correspondence, including letters, postcards, v-mail, and personal diaries
Visual materials, including photographs, drawings, and scrapbooks

U.S. Veterans from the following wars are welcome to contribute:

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

Other Family Members May be Eligible

Also, those U.S. citizen civilians who were actively involved in supporting war efforts. Do you have war industry workers, USO workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, etc. in your tree? Participating in the Veterans History Project is an excellent way to honor the military service of your relatives.

Learn more about the Veterans History Project at www.loc.gov/vets. Email [email protected] and put “My VHP RSS Story” in the subject line.

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