Pittsburgh veterans record compelling narratives capturing war's many fronts

If you want to thank veterans this Veterans Day, or any other time of year, Kevin Farkas says ask them to tell you their story.

He should know. Mr. Farkas is director of the Veteran Voices of Pittsburgh, a group leading an initiative that has recorded the stories of more than 260 Pittsburgh area military veterans since 2012. And more than 100 veterans are on a waiting list to share their experiences.

“Pittsburghers have been in every major historical event in our country’s history that you could imagine,” he said. “In terms of the wars, whether it was Hiroshima to the Battle of the Bulge to Fallujah, Pittsburghers have been there.”

For Mr. Farkas, the Veteran Voices of Pittsburgh Oral History Project is not just about the captivating stories of battles past. It’s about the human condition, and it helps veterans realize they are important because someone is interested in them.

What makes this project different from similar initiatives is that some stories they record are not from war-time veterans.

Others were not necessarily soldiers on the front lines; they might have been Jeep mechanics or line cooks.

“No one asks those people their stories,” Mr. Farkas said. “The media, by and large, they like the sensational war stories, combat stories.”

Still, they have recorded many compelling narratives.

Recently they interviewed Barbara Duffy, a lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps in the Pacific during WWII. She spoke about one night when a soldier asked her to hold his hand because he was nervous that his leg had to be amputated — and she did. They asked Ms. Duffy about the soldier, and she told them that he was a Japanese prisoner.

“Our jaws dropped,” Mr. Farkas said.

Storytelling can be an emotional, sometimes arduous, experience for the veterans, according to Todd DePastino, executive director of Veterans Breakfast Club, an organization where many of the interviewees are found. The club works in association with the initiative and Mr. DePastino conducts the interviews.

“It’s especially difficult to tell the story, or especially a story that involves trauma or involves the kind of chaos that war often entails,” he said. “It’s hard to articulate what the experience of combat is like. But I think there is a healing element to the struggle, because once you tell a story, you externalize all those feelings that are going on inside,” he added. “You’re able to get it on the outside of you and look at it.”

Recordings can be found for free on veteransvoicesofpittsburgh.com.

The initiative invites Western Pennsylvania veterans from all eras and all branches of the military.

Interviews can be requested by calling 412-423-8034 or emailing Mr. Farkas at kevin@veteranvoicesofpittsburgh.com.

The Veterans Breakfast Club will hold its next breakfast for veterans to share their stories at 8:30 a.m on Tuesday at Duquesne University. For more information and to RSVP, contact Mr. DePastino at todd@veteransbreakfastclub.com or by calling 412-623-9029.

Another opportunity to listen to veterans, though not connected with the Veterans Voices initiative, opens Tuesday in the PNC Legacy Building, 600 Liberty Ave. and is free to the public.