Help
Our Veterans Tell Their Story This Veterans Day
By Congressman John E. Peterson
November
8, 2002
“This is a very
special Veterans Day. It comes at a time when the values of the United
States and other democratic nations are being challenged and our citizens
are concerned about the future. This Veterans Day is a time to renew our
service to country, our compassion, our hope for a peaceful future, and
our appreciation to the ordinary heroes among us.
“The combined
experiences of our war veterans and the civilians who supported them tell
the story of our nation’s perseverance and how the values of free
people prevail. In troubled times our veterans tell a story not just of
hardship and bravery, but of hope and opportunity.
“On this Veterans
Day let us turn our thoughts to the many war veterans in our own communities.
Each one has a story to tell us -- a story about service and sacrifice.
A story about how their military or civilian experiences in turbulent
times changed their lives and the life of our nation. That is why Congress
passed legislation, which I supported, to create the Veterans History
Project at the American Folklife Center in the Library of Congress.
“The Veterans
History Project is collecting interviews with veterans and those who served
to support them, and will also seek documents such as their letters and
photographs for a national collection. The material will be preserved
so that veterans, researchers, teachers and students can learn the lessons
contained therein.
“On this Veterans
Day I am inviting you to be part of the Veterans History Project. I encourage
each and every one of you to interview a war veteran before Thanksgiving
Day and bring those oral histories to my office. I will personally present
them to the Library of Congress where they will be preserved and become
a permanent part of its collection. You could interview a friend, a family
member or someone in your community who has served our nation in the armed
services. Ask them to talk about their experiences and preserve and pass
on their knowledge and memories on audiotape or through their writings.
“You can work
with your post, club or classroom to add to this collection. To find out
how to participate in this national initiative to preserve our nation’s
memory, contact my office or visit the project’s web site at www.loc.gov/vets
where you can download a project kit. Celebrate this Veterans Day by helping
a veteran in your community share their story.”
Interested
participants may contact Congressman Peterson’s offices at 127 West
Spring Street, Suite C, Titusville, PA 16354 (phone: 814-827-3985); 1524
West College Avenue, State College, PA 16801 (phone: 814-238-1776); or
123Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515 (phone: 202-225-5121).
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