African American Veteran Stories Available Online in Honor of Black History Month

A selection of 23 fully digitized collections of materials submitted by African American war veterans is highlighted on the Veterans History Project web site. The collection of fully-digitized
stories is titled "African Americans at War: Fighting Two Battles," and is added to "Experiencing War" stories from the Veterans History Project at www.loc.gov/warstories.

"As the nation celebrates Black History Month, the Veterans History Project is honoring African American veterans who have served in the United States military by highlighting some of the remarkable stories we have received," said Bob Patrick, acting director of the Veterans History Project. "We also invite and encourage all minority military veterans to contribute their story so that their sacrifice and service on behalf of this nation will not be forgotten."

A sample of some of the Oral History interviews featured are:

• BM1 Bobby J. Wallace, who served 20 years in the US Navy, starting in WWII
• CM2 Frank Hosendove, who was drafted at age 30 and served aboard USS Bridge, which was badly damaged by a mine 10 weeks after the war ended
• Solomon Reed, who rose to the position of Command Master Chief
• Colonel Rutherford Vincent Brice, who served in the Navy during WWII, was able to attend college after the war and was commissioned in the Army, seeing combat in both Korea and Vietnam
  
• Lieutenant General James Franklin McCall, who was drafted into the Army during Vietnam
• Brigadier General Donald L. Scott
  

All veterans are encouraged to participate in an Oral History program either through the Library of Congress's Veterans History Project or through other programs. Many universities have such programs.