GTA resident makes Amherstburg a stop in project to interview veterans
- Ron Giofu
- 5 hours ago
- 3 min read
A 26-year-old from Richmond Hill was in Amherstburg to ensure local veterans’ stories aren’t forgotten.
Zach Dunn visited Amherstburg recently as part of his Global Veteran Stories project where he interviewed local veterans Bob LeBlanc and Tom Miller, both of whom served with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Dunn met with them at Royal Canadian Legion Fort Malden Br. 157 with the interviews taking over an hour each.
“For the last four-and-a-half, almost five, years, inspired by the stories of my granddad who served in World War II, I’ve been travelling across Canada and the U.S. recording stories from World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans,” Dunn explained.
Dunn has amassed a list of nearly ten schools and museums he shares his videos with, adding he also sends them to Legions and the veterans themselves. People can also view them on his website and social media.
Over 140 interviews have been recorded, with Dunn’s travels taking him all around Ontario, Alberta, portions of the United States such as Minnesota and Boston, with Zoom interviews also taking place when in-person is not possible.
What started with Canadian veterans has expanded with Dunn’s Global Veteran Stories now including stories from other countries such as the U.S., Poland, Australia, India, Ghana and the United Kingdom among others.
Dunn visited the Windsor-Essex County region after interviewing veteran Herb Brown in Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre hospital in Toronto. Brown suggested Dunn interview his buddy Dugan Cottingham, a 101-year-old veteran in Tilbury.
“I was lucky Legion branches here were very helpful,” he said.
Roughly 80 per cent of the veterans he has interviewed have never been interviewed before, he added, and he believes ensuring their stories are preserved is very important.
“I think there are so many perspectives and untold personal stories,” said Dunn, during his Jan. 25 visit. “I feel like a messenger to pass along these stories to the next generation.”
Dunn added he believes it is vital for people – particularly youth – to be curious and interested to know the stories and learn about history. He said LeBlanc told him “freedom is not free,” and he agrees with that thought. Another veteran during a previous interview reminded him “if we don’t learn from history, we’re doomed to repeat it.”
Noting he works a day job in sales, Dunn said he fills his early mornings, evenings and weekends speaking and recording veterans.
“This is a passion project,” he said.
As part of his interview with Dunn, Miller said military service is a “great part of your life” and for him, it was during some of his “prime years.” He believes in sharing his stories, though admitted a lot of veterans don’t want to due to it bringing back horrible memories from the past.
“Somehow, (this history) needs to be recorded,” he said.
Dunn told the River Town Times that he is “currently in the process of writing a book and archiving all of these interviews to ensure these voices are never forgotten.”
Dunn encouraged veterans or families of veterans to contact him to have their stories recorded and shared. His website is www.globalveteranstories.com and fill out the contact form. He added he also has a YouTube channel and a Facebook page where people can find him by searching Global Veteran Stories.
GTA resident makes Amherstburg a stop in project to interview veterans
By Ron Giofu