Oral
History Program
1 Oral Historian
Introduction
Oral history is a vital
part of the documentation of Marine Corps history and
serves to supplement and complement the written record
of historical events. The Marine Corps Oral History
Program began during the Vietnam War. At that time, the
program focused on interviewing Marines involved in
current operations. Thousands of interviews were
conducted in the field and at many Marine Corps bases to
capture Marines’ experiences and perspectives while
still fresh in their minds. The top priority of the
Marine Corps History Division’s Oral History Program
continues to be current Marine Corps operations. As a
result, the program has produced a rich collection of
field interviews spanning almost four decades.
Another key aspect of the
Marine Corps History Division’s Oral History Program is
an ever expanding collection of career-length fully
transcribed interviews of ranking Marine Corps leaders
and other distinguished Marines and former Marines.
Taking a broad view of what constitutes oral history,
the Marine Corps Oral History Collection also includes a
large collection of recorded presentations, briefings,
debriefings, speeches, and similar "spoken history."
Currently, the oral history
collection consists of approximately 13,000 items
covering virtually all aspects of 20th century Marine
Corps history. Volunteer-submitted interviews are always
welcome. Please view the Oral History Primer for
specific instructions and requirements.