August 29, 2012 Veterans History Project Recognizes Vietnam Veterans with Second Installment of Web Feature

Contact: Monica Mohindra (202) 707-1071, Megan Harris (202) 707-8205

In January, The Library of Congress Veterans History Project (VHP) launched a multi-year campaign to preserve the stories of the nation's 7 million living Vietnam War veterans. Emphasizing the importance of capturing the experiences of Vietnam veterans and making their stories more accessible, VHP has launched the latest installment in its Experiencing War website presentation, titled "Vietnam War: Looking Back, Part 2." This website feature is part of a year-long series that highlights the wartime stories of those who served during the Vietnam War. These remarkable and intriguing personal recollections are available on VHP's website, www.loc.gov/vets/.

The "Vietnam War: Looking Back" theme grew from the words of Vietnam veteran and University of Dayton law professor Tom Hagel, who spoke during a Library of Congress ceremony to launch the Vietnam War veterans iniative. "When we think of war, whether it's Vietnam or any other war, we think of it as a unitary subject … but there are millions of Vietnam Wars," he said.

"Vietnam veterans who share their stories today ensure that the universal, as well as individual, experience of those who served are not forgotten," said Veterans History Project Director Robert Patrick. "Interviewing the Vietnam veteran in your life or community for the Veterans History Project is an ideal way to honor both them, and those who can not be recorded, to mark the 50th anniversary of the start of the Vietnam War."

The new feature includes the stories of former POWs Richard Lyman Bates, Thomas Nelson Moe and Floyd Harold Kushner. Each endured horrific conditions during their imprisonment, but they survived until the end of the war and continued their service in the military after their homecoming. Nurses Janis Alyce Nark and Mary Elizabeth Breed describe their personal ties to the patients they treated, while Navy veteran Michael Felker and Army veteran Joseph McHenry share the lasting effects of their Vietnam service on their lives after the war.

Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000 to collect, preserve and make accessible the firsthand remembrances of America's war veterans from WWI through the current conflicts, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. For more information, visit www.loc.gov/vets/ or call the toll-free message line at (888) 371-5848. Subscribe to the VHP RSS to receive periodic updates of VHP news.

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution. The Library seeks to advance the knowledge and creativity of the American people through its collections, programs and services. Many of the Library's rich resources can be accessed through its website at www.loc.gov.

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PR 12-160
2012-08-29
ISSN 0731-3527