The Library of Congress provides the public archive for the Veterans History Project’s firsthand veteran accounts.
The Veterans History Project was created by Congress in 2000 and is administered by the Library of Congress. It collects and preserves personal materials from U.S. veterans, including oral-history interviews, letters, photographs, memoirs, and other documents connected with military service.
The collection is especially valuable because it preserves individual experiences alongside official military records. Veterans and their families can contribute materials, while researchers and the public can explore digitized selections through the Library of Congress website.
The project is not the same as the National Archives’ military-records holdings or the Department of Veterans Affairs’ benefits files. Its central purpose is cultural and historical preservation. Veterans Day often provides schools and community groups with an opportunity to record or present these personal stories.