Introduction
The Saints at War Project includes written and oral histories (with some select artifacts) of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) who served in the military during the 20th century. This includes those who served in World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War and all other military campaigns of the last century. Collected materials include: personal histories, journals, correspondence, period photographs, small artifacts and first-hand accounts of war experiences.
To date, the project has focused mainly on World War II veterans. The Saints at War Project has recently (Summer 2002) initiated a campaign to acquire like materials for LDS Church service men and women in the Korean Conflict (1950 -1953) and the Vietnam War (1965 - 1973).
Begun in 1999 by Dr. Robert Freeman and Dr. Dennis Wright, of the Department of Church History and Doctrine, Brigham Young University, the Saints At War Project is in partnership with The Veterans History Project, a larger effort being undertaken by the U.S. Library of Congress. Selections from the veterans’ accounts were compiled and published in 2001 under the title, Saints At War: Experiences of Latter-day Saints. Additionally, a Saints At War documentary was aired on KBYU on Veterans Day, November 11, 2001.
Dr. Freeman, reflecting on the importance of the project, said, "More than 1,100 American veterans are dying each day. These brave men and women will pass from our view very quickly and we felt an urgent need to capture their stories for future generations."
A note about the World War II archives:
During World War II, it is estimated that approximately 100,000 LDS served in uniform, on all sides of the conflict, and the project has now assembled collections from nearly 1,500 of these veterans. As of Fall 2002, 280 collections have been processed and are available to the public for research. Within the veteran’s papers are accounts from prominent leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Thomas S. Monson, James E. Faust, Boyd K. Packer, Neal A. Maxwell, and David B. Haight. Besides these noted servicemen, the project archive includes revealing facts and narratives that bring new insights into war and national conflicts.