WESTMINISTER, Md. — In a quiet studio in Westminster, Maryland, the cameras roll, the lights come up—and the stories begin.
These aren’t just any stories. They are first-hand accounts of military service, sacrifice, and resilience, told by veterans from Carroll County. And thanks to the Carroll County History Project, these stories are being preserved—not just for today, but for generations to come.
Watch as these veterans share their stories
The project, launched by the Community Media Center (CMC) in 2008, is a multi-part effort to collect and preserve the rich history of Carroll County through video interviews and documentaries. Its mission is to document life in the county by amplifying voices of those who’ve experienced it firsthand—from local leaders and everyday residents to the veterans who’ve served both abroad and at home.
For Vietnam veteran William “Bill” Palm, it’s a deeply personal mission. He was one of the first to be interviewed by the project. Now, he’s on the other side of the camera, encouraging others to share their stories.
“I want to make sure these veterans know their story matters,” Palm said. “And I want people to realize the only way to understand what we’ve been through is to listen.”
Palm says the studio environment, especially when veterans interview fellow veterans, creates an immediate comfort and connection. “There’s a camaraderie that just naturally happens. We’ve all been through something—whether we talk about combat or not, it’s something you carry.”
The Carroll County History Project’s video archive is divided into collections like Carroll County Remembers, Through the Eyes of the Black Experience, Carroll County Veterans, and Local Documentaries. Each interview helps bring history to life and adds a face to the names and dates that often get lost in textbooks.
Charles Harrison knows the power of those stories. A former supervisory special agent with the FBI and a Vietnam War Huey pilot, Harrison has held many roles in his life. Today, he’s also a CMC board member and longtime volunteer.
“I think I was one of the original participants,” said Harrison. “After so many years, I became chairman of the board. My focus was to broaden the viewership and provide access—particularly to the minority community here in Carroll County.”
Harrison’s service began through ROTC at Morgan State University, followed by flight training, a deployment to Vietnam, and later, a 28-year career with the FBI. After a lifetime of leadership, he now uses his voice to uplift others.
“I tell veterans, even if you're scared, come talk to us,” he said. “There’s a pre-conversation, just to sit down and talk. You’ll feel that immediate rapport.”
For Executive Director Richard Turner, these conversations are central to the center’s mission.
“This project allows us to preserve voices and experiences that would otherwise be lost,” Turner said. “Many of these veterans are telling their stories for the first time—and often, for their families, it’s the first time they’ve heard it too.”
Turner also emphasized the educational value of the archive. “It gives future generations a look at what life was like, what service meant to people, and how Carroll County has evolved.”
And that evolution is what keeps volunteers like Palm and Harrison coming back—to record, to listen, and to guide the next storyteller through the process.
“We learn from the past,” said Harrison. “And we can only do that by listening to the people who lived it.”
For more on the Carroll County History Project and to watch interviews from the community’s veterans, visit the Community Media Center’s online oral history collection.
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