VETERANS HISTORY VETERANS HISTORY PROJECTPROJECT

U. S. Library of CongressU. S. Library of Congress, , SMSUSMSU, VFW,, VFW,

Springfield-Greene County Library District and Springfield-Greene County Library District and others….others….

The Veterans History Project collects and preserves the extraordinary wartime stories of ordinary people.

Southwest Missouri State University would like to aid you in sharing your story. Your story can be told through

•Personal Narratives,

•Correspondence and/or

•Visual Materials.

SMSU is particularly interested in obtaining stories from WWII veterans in our area and particularly from alumni veterans.

We are asking that you share your story with us to make us laugh, cry and remember. We are not looking for a formal history of war but for a treasure of emotions, feelings and personal retrospection.

TO TELL TO TELL YOURYOUR STORY STORY

They that can give up essential liberty to obtaina little temporary safety

deserve neither liberty nor safety.

-Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of

Pennsylvania, 1759.

Beginning August 15th, 2005 and running through November 11th, 2005 at locations around southwest Missouri, teams of volunteers will be conducting interviews with WWII veterans in order to capture the stories and service of southwest Missourians to be archived for posterity in the Library of Congress.

For information on this project and how area history students and

teachers can participate please call:

(417) 836-4825 SMSU Transit Office or email jaj949f@smsu.edu

Check out the Project online at www.loc.gov/vets/

Images are always a great way to tell a story. Remember a picture is worth a thousand words.

Letters from family and friends may also help tell a story that you can’t tell yourself.

Scan buttons and/or badges to help express your story.

In memory of lost friends and comrades relay to us the memories so that future generations will understand.