Thompson Calls on Veterans to Document Service for History Project

Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) today called on Northern California veterans attending the World War II Memorial dedication in Washington DC to contact his office regarding participation in the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Thompson, a Vietnam Veteran and Co-Chair of the Congressional Veterans Caucus, called the project an extraordinary opportunity to remember the sacrifices of those who have served. The Veterans History Project focuses on documenting the contributions of military personnel, civilian volunteers and war industry workers who served during major military conflicts from World War I through the Persian Gulf War. Motivated by a desire to honor our nation's war veterans and to collect their stories and experiences, the United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000. The Library of Congress is tasked with collecting and preserving audio- and video-taped oral histories, along with documentary materials such as letters, diaries, maps, photographs and home movies. “19 million war veterans live in the United States, but sadly we lose 1,700 of them every day. It is critical that their experiences be documented so that future generations never lose sight of the sacrifices they made,” Thompson explained. “We must never take for granted the costs of war. We can only hope that by capturing the reality of war we will enable those who come after us to strive for peace.” The World War II memorial will be officially dedicated over Memorial Day Weekend. Over 40,000 people, including veterans and their families, are expected to attend. The World War II Memorial is the first national memorial dedicated to all who served during the Second World War. Information on the Veterans History Project can be found on Thompson's website at: www.house.gov/mthompson. Veterans attending the World War II Memorial dedication in Washington DC are encouraged to contact Thompson's Washington office at: (202) 225-3311 to learn more about participating in the project. Thompson is also in the process of partnering with local universities, colleges and other organizations to facilitate the participation of veterans not attending the dedication over Memorial Day Weekend. Veterans interested in participating in the project from California are also encouraged to contact Thompson's Washington Office. # # #