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Subject	Collection	Story	Interviewed by
Gregorio D. Botello	World War II	By Patrick Lynch The story of the Botello brothers – Crisantos, Gregorio, John, Simon and Trinidad, who all served during World War II – is one of honor and bravery. And thanks to another of the brothers, their tales of heroism won’t be... Read More
Carmen Conteras Bozak	World War II	By Katie Kennon Carmen Bozak's only memory of Dec. 7, 1941 -- the day Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese -- is of a good friend and co-worker being stranded after her date heard about the attack on the car radio. The woman's date... Read More	Vivian Torre
Richard Brito	Vietnam	By Priscilla Pelli Missing the birth of his two daughters was one of the many sacrifices Richard Brito had to make when he saw that a war threatened the national security of the United States in 1965. While Vietnam spurred controversy... Read More	Manuel G. Aviles-Santiago
Rita Abeytia Brock-Perini	Vietnam	By Ben Wermund As a captain in the U.S. Air Force Nursing Corps, Rita Brock-Perini provided care to thousands of soldiers, as well as guidance to hundreds of nurses in the largest Air Force hospital in the United States during... Read More	Samantha Salazar
José María Burruel	World War II	By Laura Zvonek As a child, José María Burruel's family lived in a shack on land that didn't belong them: They were, in essence, "squatters." And they were unwelcome. At night, the houses were pelted with stones. "One morning, we got... Read More	Delia Esparza
Ricardo Martinez Bustos	World War II	By Layron Livingston Before entering World War II, Richard M. Bustos, Sr. endured a different kind of battle. As an adolescent in rural southeastern Texas, he encountered racial segregation and discrimination daily. “On signs, you’d... Read More	Mr. Paul Rodriguez Zepeda
Máximo Perez Butanda	World War II	The Other Soldiers Little-remembered treaty sent 300,000 sons of Mexico to the United States during WWII; their weapons were their labor-hardy bodies By Violeta Dominguez The battlefield wasn’t the only place where... Read More	Violeta Dominguez
Alberto Z. Caballero	World War II	By Na Kyung Kim General society’s prevailing atmosphere of racial discrimination couldn’t shake the strong comradeship present in the Army for Albert Caballero, who began his service in 1940 with the 36th Infantry Division. Though he... Read More	Steve G. Treviño
Herminia Guerrero Cadena	World War II	By Ashley Hitson Without prior understanding of the war or its impact on the world, young Herminia Cadena watched her brother leave home to join the Marines. "I didn't recognize the importance [of the war] until my brother went in,"... Read More	Erika Martinez
Manuel & Mrs. Herminia Cadena	World War II	By Francisco H. Cortes Manuel Cavazos Cadena was only a boy during WWII. But he witnessed the effects the war had in one of the several towns he lived in: San Marcos, Texas. Two of his brothers were employed because of the war, when... Read More	Antonio Cantú
Luis Aguilar Calderon	World War II	Soon after his 18th birthday, Luis A. Calderon was drafted into the Army. He fought with the 75th Infantry Division for 94 consecutive days ending on April 13, 1945. That relatively short period of time in his life would have lasting effects on... Read More
Ernesto Calderón	World War II	By Miguel A. Castro Ernesto Calderon was just 18 years old and living in Central Texas in 1946 when his life took an unexpected turn. Eldon and Lloyd Adams, two brothers, asked him if he wanted to go with him to the drive-in theater at... Read More	Miguel Castro
Manuel F. Calderon	World War II	By Cheryl Smith Kemp Manuel Calderon’s crossed arms seemed to reflect his mood when asked if he was drafted into World War II. “Of course,” replied Calderon, who served in the Army for four years. Not happy about his afternoon... Read More	Cheryl Smith Kemp
Carmel Sandoval Camacho	World War II	By Ajay Patel Carmel Camacho's father told him as a young boy that, if he was kind to other people, then he would never have trouble getting along with anyone. Camacho took his father's words to heart, working as a medic in the Army,... Read More	Liliana Rodriguez
Isaac Camacho	Vietnam	By Anna Kavich Army Capt. Isaac Camacho vividly recalled the terrible night when he was captured by Viet Cong. It was the night of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in Dallas, Texas. He was held for nearly two years until... Read More	Robert Rivas
Manuel Camarillo	World War II	By Kayla Young Peering through the door he’d just kicked in with his combat boots, the Manuel Camarillo serving on the front lines of World War II Germany was a different man from the one he’d been back in South El Paso. Back then, he’d... Read More	Raquel C. Garza
Diego Campa	World War II	By Elizabeth Wilder Diego Campa wanted nothing more than to live a simple American life while retaining his Mexican heritage. Campa’s family and friends held lively celebrations of Mexican culture, but outside this cocoon -- even at... Read More	Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez
Ventura Terrones Campa	World War II	By Nathan Wyman For Ventura Terrones Campa, the gravity and brutality of World War II often seemed distant to her while living in the Kansas heartland of America. Like many thousands of wives left to raise their children while their... Read More	Delia J. Lujan
Lalo Campos	World War II	The yellow clapboard house with the 1990 Cadillac Seville parked outside is Lalo Campos' home. A Mexican American World War II veteran, he sits in a study that is covered with family portraits with his feet propped up in his walker. There is a... Read More	Sofia Mena
Antonio Campos	World War II	By Betsy Clickman Antonio Campos has devoted his life to fighting for the advancement of Latinos, engaging in civil rights work that has given Hispanics in South Texas a "head start." As a child, having to share a bed with siblings... Read More	Veronica Garza
Jesse T. Campos	World War II	By Jordan Godwin Jesse Campos wears a World War II Veteran hat garnished with a dozen medals and pins that magnify his 5-foot frame. Taking off the hat reveals the same impressively full head of hair he’s had all his life. “I’ve... Read More	Mrs. Olga Campos Benz
Antonio V. Campos	World War II	By Alyssa Armentrout When an officer interrupted training to ask, "Does anybody here play the trumpet?" Antonio Campos stepped up and raised his hand. "I play the trumpet," he replied. Campos ended up getting assigned to one of... Read More	William Luna
Natividad Campos	World War II	By Erika Jaramillo World War II veteran Natividad Campos says he felt like an old man by the age of 9. Kidnapped by his father at age 3 and raised by his Spanish-speaking grandmother, Campos, the oldest son of four, had no formal... Read More	Beatriz Guerrero
Richard G. Candelaria	World War II	By Yvonne Lim Growing up in Southern California during the 1920s and 1930s, Richard G. Candelaria would bike up to the top of Mulholland Drive to watch the P-38 twin-engine fighter planes take off and land from Burbank. Candelaria read... Read More	Mario Barrera
Alex Cantillo	Voces of a Pandemic	By: Voces Staff Alex Cantillo is a graduate student and professor who specializes in leadership development and sports excellence. He's known by friends and family to be energetic and positive, but the pandemic has challenged his lifestyle... Read More	Jackie Pedota
Tomás Z. Cantú	World War II	By Bettina Luis CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- Standing at attention, his thumbs aligned with the seam of the trouser, his heels together at a 45-degree angle. Thomas Cantu Jr. looked straight ahead as he was awarded the Air Medal in 1943 for... Read More	Bettina Luis
Felipe Cantú	World War II	In many ways, the postwar years of Felipe L. Cantú represent a quintessential profile of a World War II veteran, quietly resuming his life, but with a modest hesitancy to discuss combat experiences or express his feelings. In many other ways,... Read More
Norma Cantú	Political & Civic Engagement	By: Voces Staff Born and raised in Brownsville Texas, Norma Cantú excelled in school despite coming from poverty. Thanks to her families emphasis on early education, Cantú skipped many grades, graduating college at the age of 19. After... Read More	Mia Uhumwuangho
Domingo Cantu	World War II	By David R Zavala On his initial night of fighting in World War II Europe, Domingo Cantu landed for his first mission, and was unable to free himself from his parachute. As he struggled and tugged to get the chute off, he heard the blasts... Read More	Antonio Cantú
Arnoldo Cantu Jr.	Political & Civic Engagement	By: Voces Staff Judge Arnoldo Cantu Jr. recounts events in his life that impacted him and South Texas. The interview takes place in Brownsville, Tx located in the Rio Grande Valley where Cantu currently serves as judge in the Hidalgo... Read More	Yenibel Ruiz Mirabal
Epimenio Caraveo	World War II	By Celina Moreno World War II veteran Epigmenio Caraveo valiantly served his country as a paratrooper in the legendary 101st Airborne Division, overcoming the sting of discrimination and poverty of his youth. As a young boy... Read More	Celina Moreno
Robert L. Cardenas	World War II, Korean Conflict, Vietnam	By Rachel Platis In 1939, National Guard Pvt. Robert Cardenas was in the final stage of obtaining a full scholarship to the California Institute of Technology, having just completed two years of pre-engineering study at San Diego State... Read More	Marc Hamel
Abner Carrasco	World War II	By Juliana Torres During the landing at Salerno, Abner Carrasco was shooting at a German Panzer, a heavily armored tank, when its turret suddenly pivoted and pointed directly at him. Facing his potential death, Carrasco kept firing and was... Read More	Steven Rosales
William Carrillo	World War II	By Mario Barrera William Carrillo knew he wanted to go into the Army Air Corps when he enlisted in 1942, but there was a problem: He didn’t have the required college degree for the Air Corps Cadet program. So on the application form the... Read More	Mario Barrera
Meregildo Carrillo	World War II	By Shamoyita DasGupta Meregildo Carrillo harbors no regrets. A decorated soldier, Carrillo served in World War II in France in the 79th Infantry Division, both despite and because of his own personal battles. Born in San... Read More	Lawrence J. Polon
Cayetano Casados	World War II	By Anjali Desai Cayetano Casados had a floating, front row seat for the historic Normandy Invasion of World War II. "We were the first ship to be fired on and the first ship to fire in the invasion," said Casados of the campaign that... Read More	Norman L. Martinez
Eugene Ramirez Casarez	World War II	By Joanne Rao Sánchez Eugene Casarez was just 11 years old when he started working for the Surprise Bakery on E. 7th Street in Austin, Texas. Little did he realize that his four years of making empanadas, pan de huevo and bizcochitos... Read More	Drs. Joanne Rao & Mario Sanchez
Peter Casarez	World War II	By Joanne R. Sánchez Pete Casarez's fondest childhood memory was playing baseball with his brothers, Frank, Eugene and Frutoso (Tuto) at the Catholic church playground, a half block from their home on East 9th Street in Austin, Texas. ... Read More	Drs. Joanne Rao & Mario Sanchez
Theresa Herrera Casarez	World War II	By Joanne R. Sanchez As a child, growing up in Austin, Theresa Herrera Casarez loved to sing, dance and recite poetry. Later, during WWII, she was able to put her talents to work entertaining soldiers at USO clubs and at nearby Camp Swift... Read More	Drs. Joanne Rao & Mario Sanchez
Julius Casarez	World War II	By Laura Radloff As a young man, Julius Casarez didn’t know exactly what he was getting himself into when he enlisted in the Army. "My brother told me that if I enlisted sooner rather than later, I could pick where I wanted to be... Read More	Rasha Madkour
Sam Casarez	World War II	By Stephen Stetson For most of his life, Sam Casarez, an Austin, Texas, native who served as a Merchant Marine in World War II, wasn’t accorded the privileges and benefits of veterans. Today, 13 years after the Merchant Marines were... Read More	Porteskcia Kelley
Joe David Casillas	World War II, Political & Civic Engagement	By Nora Ramirez World War II is over, but the fight against discrimination is far from finished for Joe Casillas, a WWII veteran who lives in San Diego. His father, Felix Ledesma Casillas, was a migrant worker who came from Jalisco,... Read More	Rene Zambrano
Ruben Casillas	World War II	By Alicia Rascon Ruben Casillas, a World War II veteran, remembers encountering discrimination on a daily basis in his youth. Looking back, Casillas recalled being excluded from opportunities given to his classmates and still asks, "... Read More	Rene Zambrano
Thomas Lopez Casso	World War II	By Sarah Carter Thomas Casso took off through the jungle after lighting a smoke signal that would tell United States troops where to target the Japanese, who were trailing his company on Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. Casso... Read More	Steven Rosales
Fred Castaneda	Vietnam	By Ednna Solis “For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know,” reads a flier carefully placed in a Vietnam War photo album. The album belongs to Fred Castañeda, a Mexican citizen from... Read More	Manuel G. Aviles-Santiago
George M Castañeda	Korean Conflict	By Maureen King It had always been a fascination to him, something he’d seen in the movies. He knew he could do it and do it better than anyone else, he says, because he was a Mexican. The fascination: jumping out of an airplane. ... Read More	Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez
Pete Castillo	Korean Conflict	By Lynda Gonzalez Pedro “Pete” Castillo used his snow-white mustache as a tool in telling his wartime tale, one of the significant chapters of his life. A sergeant and World War II veteran was in charge of Castillo’s Army company... Read More	Raquel C. Garza
Manuel Martinez Castillo	World War II	By Chandler Elise Race As Manuel Castillo stood on the landing barge off of Omaha Beach in Normandy, the battle was already in full motion on shore. For Castillo, the reality of the landing was not the glorified or stirring depictions of... Read More	Erika Martinez
Lauro Castillo	World War II	By the Voces Staff Lauro Castillo grew up in a poor farming family in South Texas, living in a bare-bones house with a leaky roof. The U.S. Army provided an escape from poverty but also exposed him to the brutal reality of war. He... Read More	Marcos Castillo
Gilbert Castorena	World War II	By Christine Emmot Growing up in the North Island neighborhood of San Diego, Ca., before World War II, Gilbert Castorena had a childhood filled with good memories of his family, friends and school days. Those relaxing days changed... Read More	Rene Zambrano