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Posted by: Megan Harris
In 1942, Stewart Fulbright was a man on a mission: he desperately wanted to become a pilot in the Army Air Corps. Just shy of the weight requirement of 125 pounds, he gulped down half a dozen bananas on his way to his physical exam, only to find out that a lengthy written exam was …
Posted in: African American History, African Americans, Korean War, Oral History, Veterans History Project
Posted by: Megan Harris
The following is a guest blog post by Matt McCrady, Digital Conversion Specialist for the Library of Congress. The voice from seven decades ago comes through clear and distinct, with only the slight crackle of dust on the phonograph record to suggest the age of the recording. “Lloyd, this is Len. Remember? … Other day …
Posted in: Veterans History Project, Vietnam War, World War II
Posted by: Megan Harris
You might have already seen Lisa Taylor’s blog post on female code breakers in World War II—but the topic is so rich, I couldn’t resist revisiting it in my own post! Read on for more details about VHP’s holdings of women cryptanalysts and an upcoming book talk by author Liza Mundy. This is the fourth …
Posted in: Veterans History Project, Women's History, World War I
Posted by: Megan Harris
The following is a guest blog post by Sebastiaan Vonk and Mieke Kirkels, historians in the Netherlands working to research, document, and commemorate the history of African American soldiers stationed in the Netherlands during World War II. Much like the Veterans History Project, their work ensures that the stories of veterans—particularly those whose voices have …
Posted in: African Americans, Veterans History Project, World War II
Posted by: Megan Harris
London, summer, 1948. All eyes were on the first Olympic Games held since 1936. After years of war, representatives from around the world met in venues like the track field stadium, the swimming pool and the boxing ring, instead of on the battlefield. At Wembley Stadium, six runners crouched on the track for the finals …
Posted in: African Americans, Ohio, Oral History, Veterans History Project, World War II
Posted by: Megan Harris
Today, the Veterans History Project (VHP) launches a new online exhibit to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Guadalcanal. If you’re thinking, “Guadalcanal? Do I know that name?” you might not be alone. A story: not long after I had first moved to Washington, D.C., I was driving around the …
Posted in: Oral History, Veterans History Project, World War II
Posted by: Megan Harris
The following is a guest post by Rachel Telford, Archivist for the Veterans History Project. While I often think of men of the greatest generation as more stoic than emotive, collections made up of wartime letters and diaries can tell a very different story. These collections are often filled not with the drama of combat, …
Posted in: Veterans History Project, World War II