Preserving the Stories of America’s Heroes

In Corpus Christi, Texas, historian Martha De Simone is dedicated to preserving the stories of America’s heroes: veterans who’ve served the country in the United States military. Though she’s not a veteran herself, she feels a deep commitment to this project. Fellow historian Jean Graugnard shines the spotlight on her incredible efforts: 

Martha De Simone is a researcher who truly sees the heroes in our American history.  To her, these brave men and women are not just soldiers who served in wars — they are commendable heroes with incredible stories to tell.  Stories that she believes are worth preserving and telling for many generations to come.

In a recent interview with KRIS 6 News, Martha De Simone shared her experience in taking on writing projects for veterans.  She even shared a glimpse into what it’s like working with these heroes to preserve their stories of American history.  She even shares conversations she’s had with one of her favorite heroes: a 100-year-old World War II veteran, Mr. Jose Mendez.

Martha De Simone’s adventure in documenting the stories of American veterans is rooted in genealogy. She originally embarked on this research to document her own father’s role in World War II. A role that although crucial, was not spoken of for decades.. and would have otherwise been lost to time, if not for her efforts.

Making Sure Heroes Aren’t Forgotten

Martha De Simone’s mission as a historian is clear: to make sure that America’s heroes aren’t forgotten to time.  That their stories are kept alive and shared, for many years to come.  She accomplishes that by documenting their stories in their own words;  meeting with elderly members of the community who have served in the United States military, as well as younger individuals who have served more recently.  

Jean Graugnard commends this incredibly compassionate endeavor taken on by Martha De Simone.  More than that, he believes it is a testament to the inherent value of documenting personal history.  De Simone’s reasonings for striving to preserve the stories of US military veterans is the same as his for helping other people engage in living genealogical research: or documenting family legacy stories now, in real time.