Luke Basso, 18, runs a YouTube channel devoted to preserving the stories of American veterans, allowing former service members to share stories and pass down the legacy of the U.S. military to the next generation.
Basso’s YouTube channel, “Filmperia,” most prominently preserves the stories of U.S. veterans and World War II survivors. Basso has conducted over 50 Zoom and in-person interviews on his YouTube channel, as well as two mini-documentaries.
Basso told American Military News that his goal is “to preserve all firsthand accounts of our veterans from WWII to the present day.” He emphasized the importance of preserving accounts from World War II and Korean War veterans since “there are so few left,” especially as a solid majority of World War II veterans are roughly 100 years old.
“Our veterans have gone above and beyond for our country, and their stories deserve to be recognized,” Basso said. “Many people don’t know what our veterans truly went through for our country.”
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By conducting interviews with U.S. veterans, Basso said he has been able to learn more about military and political history. By taking the time to listen to their stories and understand their point of view, Basso indicated that he has even been able to gain a “different perspective” of history.
“Our veterans were living in the moment during the battle, not knowing the outcome,” he said. “Many veterans I’ve met don’t give themselves enough credit and don’t see themselves as heroes either.”
Asked about the benefit of recording veteran interviews and preserving them on YouTube, Basso emphasized the importance of getting as many people as possible to appreciate and understand U.S. veterans.
“Allowing them to be on my channel is essential to making sure their stories are not forgotten,” he said. “Many veterans have kept their experiences to themselves for decades until deciding to share them. Many have felt relieved afterward after telling their story.”
Moving forward, Basso hopes to expand his channel by including the accounts of other historical witnesses. Over the next year, he plans on creating another mini-documentary. Basso told American Military News his hope is to one day travel and interview as many historical witnesses and veterans as possible.
Originally starting his channel by interviewing veterans and other people in his area, Basso said he has more recently been able to do Zoom call interviews with people from all across the country. He explained that he has observed many veterans find a sense of healing after publicly sharing stories that have been private for many decades.
Basso is encouraging any veterans or people who know veterans to email him at [email protected] to schedule a Zoom interview to be posted on his YouTube channel.
