Hello!

My name is Patrick Reed, i’m a Texas-based historian and I’ve spent the last decade interviewing World War II veterans.

I work to record and preserve the individual stories of this momentous event in human history. Now, 80 years after the end of the war, preserving these stories is more vital than ever. From them, we understand what it felt like to be there - what you would have heard, and seen, and smelled. Oral history interviews form a human connection that make the historical event real. More than just words on a page in a history book, these events come alive through oral histories. They make history, often distant and abstract, very concrete.

I record videos, in hopes of sharing them online to as wide an audience as I can. I want to preserve as close to a “face to face” experience as is possible. I believe these interviews are a great teaching tool, and I hope they help us realize that history is very personal.

Aside from the interview content, I really love getting to know the veterans. Some of the richest relationships I’ve had have been with them. I hope to be able to preserve some of their wit and wisdom in addition to the stories about the war.

More information about me and my project to interview veterans can be found at patrickreedwriting.com. Please don’t hesitate to reach out via the form on that website. I’m also happy to provide reference letters and answer any questions you may have about my project.

The interviews will be published on my website, as well as on Youtube and Spotify.

There are some published now, but with fewer and fewer veterans each day, my focus has really been on conducting interviews. Editing the footage will take a bit more time.

Eventually, they will all be accessible to the public when completed. On the website you can also see a number of publications I’ve been written (largely articles featuring veterans i’ve interviewed), and my Substack.

The funds collected here will be used to cover travel expenses to conduct these interviews. I have a full time job, and I schedule the interviews in as often as I am able. This money will help me to conduct as many interviews as possible in the coming months, as precious time to talk to these veterans is running out. These finances will be used to cover flights and lodging, so I have the ability to actually carry out the interviews i’m able to schedule.

If you'd like to consider becoming a monthly donor, that would also be very welcome! I plan to carry this work on for as long as I am able, and your continued support would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you so much for your consideration and for your generosity! It’s my mission to give a voice to as many of these individuals as I can, and I deeply appreciate your support.