Footnote.com's innovative social website lets visitors pay tribute
to Vietnam War heroes from their PC
WASHINGTON D.C. & LINDON, Utah--(Business Wire)--
Footnote.com and the National Archives and Records Administration
held a press conference at the Archives in Washington DC to announce
the release of an online interactive photo of the Vietnam War
Memorial. In addition to releasing this unique version of the Wall,
Footnote.com enables visitors to search the Wall for people they know
and pay tribute by adding photos, comments and stories of those who
lost their lives during the Vietnam conflict.
"The Wall is more than just 58,000 plus names," explains Richard
Schroepfer, a Vietnam War Veteran. "Many of these people were my
friends. And now Footnote.com helps me create a remembrance of these
fine gentlemen."
To view a video of Richard Schroepfer and his experience with the
Wall on Footnote.com, click here.
Footnote.com started the project by contracting the expertise of
Peter Krogh, a National Geographic photographer, who was given the
challenge to photograph the entire wall. Creating this online version
of the Wall required almost 1,500 individual photos that were stitched
together to create one single image. The process took over five months
and resulted in an image that is nearly five gigapixels in size.
Despite the immense size, just about anyone can view the image on
Footnote.com via an Internet connection.
Footnote.com partnered with the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) to link the service records and casualty reports
to each name on the Wall. "The records of the Vietnam War in the
National Archives are essential resources for veterans to revisit
their history and establish their rights," explains Archivist of the
United States Allen Weinstein. "These extensive files are mined by
scholars every day as they continue to interpret and understand this
pivotal period in American history." Footnote.com will also be
digitizing National Archives photos from the Vietnam War.
Finding someone on the Wall is as simple as typing a name into a
search box and letting Footnote.com quickly locate and zoom into the
area of the Wall where the individual name can be viewed. Once the
name is located, visitors can see the soldier's service record and
view comments, stories and photos that have been contributed by other
visitors.
"Footnote.com is about discovering, discussing, and sharing the
stories of our past," says Russell Wilding, CEO of Footnote.com. "We
know that there are many untold experiences represented on that Wall,
and we hope that this interactive version of the memorial helps those
affected by the war by sharing their stories."
Footnote.com also provides a way for visitors to create a tribute
page dedicated to the brave men and women who served in Vietnam, who
may not be on the Wall. These pages become a way for veterans, family
and friends to share experiences and feelings about this event that
has had a great impact on so many. Footnote.com hopes that this
interactive Wall becomes a means for healing and paying tribute to
those whose sacrifice and service have been underappreciated for so
long.
To view the Interactive Wall on Footnote.com, click here.
About Footnote, Inc.
Footnote.com is a subscription website that features searchable
original documents, providing users with an unaltered view of the
events, places and people that shaped the American nation and the
world. At Footnote.com, all are invited to come share, discuss, and
collaborate on their discoveries with friends, family, and
colleagues. For more information, visit www.footnote.com.
About The National Archives
NARA alone is the archives of the Government of the United States,
responsible for safeguarding records of all three branches of the
Federal Government. The records held by the National Archives belong
to the public - and it is the mission of the National Archives to
ensure the public can discover, use, and learn from the records of
their government.
Footnote.com
Justin Schroepfer
Marketing Director
(801) 494-6517
Justin@footnote.com
or
NARA
The National Archives Public Affairs staff
(202) 357-5300
or
Snapp Conner PR for Footnote.com
Jeremy Kartchner, (801) 994-9625
jeremy@snappconner.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
