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Category: Oral History

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

“The Greatest American Battle of the War” – A Visit From Those Who Were There

Posted by: Kerry Ward

Care must be taken in telling our proud tale not to claim for the British Army an undue share what is undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war, and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever famous American victory.” – Sir Winston Churchill, addressing the House of Commons on January 18, 1945 Commemorating …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

“Someday at Christmas, There’ll Be No Wars”: Winter Holidays in the Military

Posted by: Megan Harris

This is a guest post by Sam Meier, a former LC Junior Fellow who is currently working on a variety of reference-related projects for the Veterans History Project (VHP).  December 25, 1917 found William James Bean in quarantine at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York. Bean had been inducted into the Army a little more …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

Happy Birthday, VHP! Cheers to 18 Years

Posted by: Kerry Ward

The following is a blog post about Veterans History Project (VHP)’s 18th birthday.    Do you remember your 18th birthday? Birthdays, especially milestone birthdays,are often a time of celebration paired with reflection. You consider how far you have come, and yet dream of the next chapters.  As the Veterans History Project (VHP) turns 18 we find ourselves …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

350 Under Their Belts: Arkansas Couple Marks Milestone

Posted by: Lisa Taylor

The following is a guest blog post by Anita Deason, who serves as the military veteran liaison in the office of Sen. John Boozman (AR). One of Deason’s duties is to teach volunteers how to participate with the Veterans History Project (VHP). To date, she and her team have trained more than 500 Arkansans. I …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

VHP’s Newest Experiencing War: “Cold War Dispatches: Service Stories from 1947-1991”

Posted by: Megan Harris

A shy but determined young teletype operator. An Air Force engineer with dreams of going into space. A spy with a talent for driving fast cars and getting thrown out of East Germany. The commander of a squadron of the elite Special Forces unit known as Delta Force. What’s the common thread tying together this …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

‘Fair winds and following seas, sailor.’

Posted by: Kerry Ward

The following is a guest blog post by Owen Rogers, a Liaison Specialist for the Veterans History Project (VHP).  In Memoriam: The Honorable John S. McCain III We mourn the loss of the Honorable John S. McCain III, whose service in U.S. military and Congress yielded particularly meaningful contributions to the Library of Congress. As …

A man playing a guitar and singing to a close crowd of a dozen or so men and women

“Going Where We’re Needed Most”: Recruitment of Military Women Over the Decades

Posted by: Megan Harris

The following is a blog post by Lisa Gomez and Sam Meier, Junior Fellows working for the Veterans History Project (VHP) this summer. To read their previous blog posts from this summer, go here and here. Lisa’s flashback to 2015: I have a vivid memory of listening to Ashton Carter, then-Secretary of Defense, announce that the …

An unidentified Marine sits in her truck.

Crossing Milestones for Female Marines: Examining the Maria C. Villescas Collection

Posted by: Megan Harris

The following is a guest post by Sam Meier, a Library of Congress Junior Fellow working with the Veterans History Project (VHP) this summer. For decades, women’s military careers have been constrained by the assumption that they are less physically capable than men. Even today, those who oppose complete gender integration often assert that gender-based …