Sharing first-hand accounts of military service

(Family Features) – More than a century after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles ended World War I, stories told by American veterans who served during this pivotal time offer fascinating insights into this period.To preserve and share history as it happened through the lens of those who lived it, the Library of Congress Veterans History Project collects these stories, and the stories of veterans who followed.The individual stories of many of the veterans involved have been lost to time; however, the program encourages military veterans to document their experiences via first-hand oral histories, photos or written accounts. The stories are then made accessible so current and future generations may better understand what veterans experienced during their service.Related Stories As time passes, new submissions from veterans who served in World War I have become increasingly rare, but occasionally, something special is uncovered, such as two submissions from Sherie Lockett: collections from her grandfathers, both African American World War I veterans.Containing 34 original letters, Jessie Calvin Lockett’s collection provides a unique insight into his experience serving in France as a stevedore, loading and unloading cargo ships.The collection of Lockett’s grandfather, Arthur Singleton, includes a unique find: a 105-year-old diary.When Singleton...