Labrado, Ed. Interview transcript, November 17, 2025.
United States. Army
United States. Army—Officers
United States. Army. Signal Corps
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
Cold War
University of California, Santa Barbara
Patton, George S. (George Smith), 1885-1945
United States. Army. Army, 3rd
United States. Army. Armored Division, 6th
United States. Army. Reserve Officers' Training Corps
Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (United States)
Camp Roberts (Calif.)
M1 rifle
World War, 1914-1918
Korean War, 1950-1953
M14 rifle
M16 rifle
Fort Gordon (Ga.)
Fort Monmouth (N.J.)
Cryptography
Missiles
Fort Ord (Calif.)
Funeral rites and ceremonies
Noncommissioned officers
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Warsaw Pact (1955-1991)
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Bank of America, National Association
Nike Hercules missile
Nuclear weapons
Ramstein Air Base (Germany)
Kennedy, John F., 1917-1963—Assassination
Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962
United States. Army—Deserters
Nuclear warfare
Deterrence (Strategy)
Peace Corps (U.S.)
Edwin Joseph Labrado Jr. was a captain in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He was deployed in Europe during the Vietnam War. Labrado was born and raised in Santa Barbara, where he graduated from UCSB and completed the Army's four-year ROTC program. After graduation, he was assigned to the Army Signal Corps and later deployed to Europe. In Europe, he served as a battalion signal officer for a Nike Hercules missile battalion that had nuclear warheads. Some of his other responsibilities included communications training, military funeral honors, and the inspection of firing batteries. In this oral history interview, Labrado reflected on the Cold War, the US anti-Vietnam War movement, and how Americans treat veterans after military service.
Ed Labrado
California State University San Marcos University Library
Jason Beyer
In copyright
English
Europe
Santa Barbara (Calif.)
Port Hueneme (Calif.)
California
Ventura (Calif.)
Georgia
New Jersey
Monterey (Calif.)
Oakland (Calif.)
Russia (Federation)
Soviet Union
Germany (East)
Germany (West)
Korea
Vietnam
Isla Vista (Calif.)
France
Germany
United States
Ukraine
Nagasaki (Japan)
Labrado, Ed. Interview November 17th, 2025.
Williams, Elmer Royce. Interview transcript, November 8, 2024.
United States--Armed Forces--Veterans
Air pilots, Military -- United States. Navy
United States. Navy
Air combat
Vietnamese Conflict, 1961-1975
Elmer Royce Williams is a retired United States naval aviator, nationally lauded for his solo dogfight against seven Soviet pilots during the Korean War. Since his time in service, he has been increasingly recognized for his achievements. He was awarded the Navy Cross in 2023 and has been nominated for the Medal of Honor. In his 2024 interview, Williams described that transformative moment in his life and how it affected the Korean War. He also discussed his childhood, military enlistment, and military training. Approaching 100 years old at the time, Williams reflected on how religion, family, community, civilian work, and veterans' organizations shaped his life after service.
Elmer Royce Williams
Adel Bautista
Marilyn Huerta
Justin Gans
Wilmot (S.D)
San Marcos (Calif.)
Africa, North
Little Falls (Minn.)
Ortonville (Minn.)
Panama
Escondido (Calif.)
Hawaii
San Diego (Calif.)
Williams, Elmer Royce. Interview November 8th, 2024
United States -- Armed Forces -- Veterans
Wilmot (S.D.)
California State University San Marcos. Cross-Cultural Center
Civil rights
Education, Higher
Human rights
Racism -- California -- Irvine
Student Success
University of California Irvine. Cross-Cultural Center
Floyd Lai served as Director of the Cross-Cultural Center at California State University from 2011 to 2023. In this Interview, Floyd discusses the growth and development of the CCC in conjunction with other student organizations. As a self-identified Chinese American, Lai addresses how his personal, educational, and professional background have informed one another.
Floyd Lai
Madeleine Meyer
Irvine (Calif.)
Lai, Floyd. Interview transcript, April 10, 2023.
Aaron Williams
California State University San Marcos. Black Student Center
Student success
Floyd Lai was the director CSUSM's Cross-Cultural Center from 2011 - 2023, where he engaged with students and their social justice and activism. Lai attended the University of California Irvine before coming to Cal State San Marcos. Lai saw the growth of the Black Student Center, and helped it grow by supporting and aiding students. In this interview, Lai also discusses his life and childhood.
Ayana Ford
Lai, Floyd. Interview transcript, April 19, 2021.
Floyd Lai was the director CSUSM's Cross-Cultural Center from 2011 - 2023, where he engaged with students and their social justice and activism. Lai attended the University of California Irvine before coming to Cal State San Marcos. Lai saw the growth of the Black Student Center, and helped it grow by supporting and aiding students. In this interview, Lai also discusses his life and childhood. This oral history was made possible in collaboration with the Black Student Center and with generous funding from the Instructionally Related Activities fund.
Oral history of Geoffrey Gilmore April 14th, 2021
Activism, Student
Anti-Black Racism
California State University San Marcos, Black Student Center
Student Success, Black
Black experience in America
Oral history interview of Dr. Geoffrey Gilmore on 2021-04-14 for the Black Student Center Oral History Project at California State University San Marcos. Dr. Geoffrey Gilmore was the Associate Vice President of Student Academic Support Services at California State University San Marcos until December 2021, where he focused on service to underserved student populations in earning college degrees. In his interview, Dr. Gilmore touches on the issues facing Black students within academic spaces and his experience helping students to succeed on a university level. Dr. Gilmore also discusses his own history as he moved from Los Angeles to Seattle, and back to California.
Geoffrey Gilmore
Sierra Jenkins
Los Angeles (Calif.)
Seattle (Wash.)
Gilmore, Geoffrey. Interview transcript, April 14th, 2021.
Dr. Geoffrey Gilmore played a key role in the development of the Black Student Center at CSUSM. In this interview, Gilmore touches on the issues of Black people within academic spaces and his experience helping students to succeed on a university level. Dr. Gilmore also discusses his own history as he moved from Los Angeles to Seattle, and back to California.