Veterans History Project
Senator Byron Dorgan created the North Dakota Veterans History Project to record and preserve the stories of North Dakota’s war veterans for all time. This project would not have been possible without the veterans who shared their stories, and the hundreds of volunteers all across the state who helped gather and record those stories.
These interviews and histories are now forever preserved in the Library of Congress in Washington, DC and available online for review by historians, researchers and future generations. This project honors the men and women who have protected and defended our country in times of danger.
The program began in 2000, and was created through legislation Senator Dorgan supported in Congress to develop a nationwide repository for veterans’ interviews. The Library of Congress collected interviews, and each state was responsible for identifying and interviewing veterans for the program. Senator Dorgan teamed up with officials from the State Historical Society of North Dakota, North Dakota Humanities Council and the North Dakota Veterans Administration to facilitate the program in North Dakota.
The project gathered interviews from North Dakota’s veterans of World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War and Persian Gulf wars. A list is available of the veterans who participated in the interview project.
Interviews are still being collected. If you are a veteran of World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War or Persian Gulf war and would like to share your story, please contact the State Historical Society of North Dakota at 701–328–2666, and a volunteer will be in touch with you.
Watch Senator Dorgan discuss the North Dakota Veterans History Project and see sample interviews. (7 minutes, 14 seconds)
Watch sample interviews from the North Dakota Veterans History Project
Click on the links below to see excerpts of interviews conducted for the North Dakota Veterans History Project.
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William Dubes |
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Ron Dietz |
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William Eslinger World War II – U.S. Marines Bismarck, ND |
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Lyle Porter World War II – U.S. Air Force Bismarck, ND |
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Inez Rolly Milnor, ND WWII - Nurse, U.S. Army Criteria Danger Ike Liberation Paris |
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George Jahner Bismarck, ND WWII - PFC, U.S. Army The Draft First Battle Wounded Manilla, Philippines Shattered Dreams The Hospital |
Learn more about the Veterans History Project sponsored by the Library of Congress.