Veterans History Project presented at American Legion Post 79
By Jessica Breazeale
Dr. Marvin Jeter spoke recently at the Drane Prine American Legion Post 79 about the Veterans History Project, an effort to record and preserve the firsthand stories of U.S. military veterans. Jeter gave the presentation following a spaghetti meal at the post.
Jeter spoke about the project, which is supported in Mississippi by the Mississippi Library Commission (MLC). The commission is working to expand the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress by recording the recollections of veterans who have served the country since World War I, so future generations can hear directly from them, even if they did not see combat.
Post 79 Commander Bobby Thornton welcomed Jeter to the post.
“It is exciting to have several of our fellow veterans in the Post working with Jeter to tell their stories. This military history project gives veterans of all ages an opportunity to participate and tell their story,” said Thornton. “Sharing one’s story is not just a simple form of therapy for a veteran, but a way for him or her to educate the next generation that the freedoms that we cherish today are not free.”
“Freedom comes at a price,” Thornton continued. “A veteran who shares his or her story through the Military History Project is not only telling about their experience but that of their brave American comrades that stood beside them.”
Jeter stressed the importance of getting more Mississippi veterans to share their stories, noting that Mississippi has the fewest recorded stories of any state in the country. He is encouraging Mississippi veterans to sign up.
Jeter emphasized that a story does not have to be dramatic to be worth telling. Every veteran’s story matters, whether or not they served in combat, he said, because it is the team that makes the U.S. military great.
According to the Mississippi Library Commission, Mississippi is home to more than 182,000 veterans, but the Library of Congress collection includes just over five hundred oral histories from the state.
The MLC said the stories veterans share are often meaningful pieces of history. One example is WWII Navy veteran Arthur “Audie” Gardner, who told library staff at the Waynesboro Public Library that he was in the boat next to Gen. Douglas MacArthur when MacArthur fulfilled his 1942 pledge, “I shall return.”
Army veteran Christopher Hubbard recorded his story at the MLC studio, sharing how his family’s military history and participation in JROTC influenced his decision to enlist. Navy Petty Officer Neil Machowski shared his training and two decades as a technology specialist aboard Navy warships, including service during Desert Storm.
Local filming for the project will take place at the Wesson Library.
Veterans of any branch who would like to share their stories can sign up by emailing VHP@mlc.lib.ms.us with their contact information or by calling 601-432-4157 to schedule a time to record.
Veterans can also submit information by answering a few brief questions online at https://www.mlc.lib.ms.us/america-250/veterans-history-project/ or by scanning the QR code on the project flyer.
Veterans are encouraged to sign up in one of the following ways to share their stories:
Emailing contact information to: VHP@mlc.lib.ms.us
Calling: 601-432-4157
Completing a form at: https://bit.ly/4BAaT1q
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