Honoring your veteran family member on Memorial Day to thank him or her for their service? Here’s a great way to do that and increase knowledge for other family members and genealogists.

The Veterans History Project, run by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, is a wonderful resource for genealogists. If you are interested in honoring your veteran family member, you might also want to contribute to the collection.

The focus of the Veterans History Project is first-hand accounts of U.S. veterans and civilians who supported them in these wars:

  • The focus of the Veterans History Project is first-hand accounts of U.S. veterans who served in the following wars and conflicts:
    • World War, 1914-1918
    • World War, 1939-1945
    • Cold War
    • Korean War, 1950-1953
    • Vietnam War, 1961-1975
    • Grenada–History–American Invasion, 1983
    • Panama–History–American Invasion, 1989
    • Operation Restore Hope, 1992-1993
    • Persian Gulf War, 1991
    • United Nations Operation in Somalia
    • Haiti–History–American intervention, 1994-1995
    • Operation Allied Force, 1999
    • Peacekeeping forces–Bosnia and Hercegovina
    • Operation Joint Guardian, 1999-
    • War on Terrorism, 2001-2009
    • Afghan War, 2001-
    • Iraq War, 2003-2011

    Other stories of service are a secondary focus (please review this list of other repositories that also collect veterans’ materials).

    How to Participate:

Click here for information on honoring your veteran family member and participate, including preparing to interview a family member who served.