Remembering D-Day

The National D-Day Memorial Foundation is an official partner with the American Folklife Centers Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress.  The U.S. Congress voted unanimously for legislation to create the Veterans History Project on October 27, 2000 through Public law 106-380.  The goal of the project is to collect the memories, accounts, and documents of veterans from World War I, World War II, and the Korean, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf Wars and to preserve these stories of experience and service for future generations.

As a part of the project, the National D-Day Memorial Foundation is actively interviewing D-Day veterans in an attempt to collect and preserve video-taped oral histories and documentary materials of those who served during the Normandy campaign as well as those on the homefront during the time of the invasion. As a partner institution, all interviews conducted by the National D-Day Memorial Foundation will be housed in the Foundation library. Though the National D-Day Memorial will store recorded D-Day interviews at the Foundation, the Library of Congress will provide a comprehensible, searchable catalog of all materials collected as part of this project so that researchers and the public will have access to them.

 How You Can Help This Project

If you are a war veteran, consider having your story recorded by a family member or someone in your community. If you know of a veteran or a civilian who experienced wartime conditions, arrange for an interview and have them share their story. Visit the Veterans History Project website at www.loc.gov/folklife/vets for details.

The National D-Day Memorial Foundation is seeking oral histories, written reminiscences, diaries, ships logs, letters, photographs, published histories of units involved in the invasion and personal recollections of D-Day veterans. If you are interested in donating such information, please contact the Foundation at 540-586-DDAY or 800-351-DDAY and ask for Shannon Brooks. If you are a D-Day veteran or know of a D-Day veteran who would like to share his or her story, please contact at 540-586-3329.