World War II Submarine Veterans History Project

The State of California is proud to partner with the Library of Congress in support of the Veterans History Project, a national effort to preserve our military history for future generations. The California Center for Military History, working in consort with the California State Military Museum, and in conjuction with the California Military History Educational Project, proudly introduces its unique history project geared toward actually documenting the never before told true-to-life stories of this nation's submarine veterans of World War II.

Using state-of-the-art digital film mediums, the recording of these histories will highlight the veteran himself within this historically based multi-phase history project, which will ultimately reflect the sacrifice and dedication of those men who served to maintain our freedom and democracy.

But given the small number of veterans who actually served in submarines during World War II there is an obvious urgency behind this project. With this nation's World War II veterans dying at a rate of 1,200 men per day, their stories are dying with them.

Motivated by the urgent need to collect the stories and experiences of our nation's surviving World War II submarine veterans while they are still among us, we are asking for financial support from corporate sponsors and individuals like you. With your help, we have a unique opportunity to tell the untold story and history of the American submariner. But time is critical. We must act now if we are going to preserve this history.

The World War II Submarine Veterans History Project will collect and preserve these digital video-taped histories, along with documents such as letters, diaries, maps, and photographs of America's submarine veterans and those who served in support of them during World War II (as a Collecting Partner for the Veterans History Project). This "Primary Source" material will then be made available to teachers and students through the California Military History Educational Project, complete with on-line lesson plans and study units, examinations and discussion questions, teacher resource kits, oral histories, photo archives, data banks and special collections to promote the study of areas of historical importance.

The World War II Submarine Veterans History Project will ultimately provide students, teachers, and researchers, as well as the general public, with direct access to a living history of World War II through the programing of the California Military History Educational Project.

Knowing that this and future generations of Americans have much to learn from these veterans, we at the California Center for Military History and California State Military Museum have enbraced this project. We encourage you to read the following information and join us in making the World War II Submarine Veterans History Project a success.