City of Auburn Hills Veterans History Project

In 2021, the Senior Services staff embarked on a meaningful journey to interview local veterans and capture their military stories for submission to the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Our goal was not only to honor these veterans for their service but also to preserve their personal histories for generations to come.

Following the Veterans History Project guidelines, we recruited seven veterans representing World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. These brave individuals shared their experiences openly, sometimes revisiting emotional and difficult memories, because they believed in the importance of preserving their stories.

To complete this historical documentation project, we enlisted the help of staff members, community volunteers, young adults, and even local business. The Veterans History Project provides a comprehensive Field Kit outlining every step of the process, including media and format standards, audio and video recording guidelines, photograph logs, interview questions, and project organization tools.

In total, we interviewed seven veterans: five from World War II, one from the Korean War, and one from the Vietnam War. Each veteran expressed deep appreciation for the project and for the recognition of their service. While we would have liked to include more participants, this truly was a labor of love. Each interview required approximately 15–20 hours to complete from start to finish.

Everyone involved, from interviewers to transcribers and media contributors, was deeply moved and humbled by the experience.

All seven veterans’ interviews, including their videos, biographies, and selected service photos, were submitted to and accepted by the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Their stories can be viewed by visiting the Library of Congress Veterans History Project website and searching by name. Their contributions now join thousands of other veterans’ accounts preserved for historical and educational purposes.

Each veteran received a copy of their video and submission materials to share proudly with their family and friends.

A special thank you to our participating veterans:

World War II Veterans
William Ware
Leonard Hendricks
Paul Landsberg
Wilson Garner
Ray Tarabusi

Korean War (Cold War Era)
William Marzolf

Vietnam War
Edward Wallace

For more information or to learn how to submit a veteran's history, visit the The Library of Congress Veterans History Project website at https://www.loc.gov/programs/veterans-history-project/about-this-program/.

Karen Adcock, Senior Services Advisor