Charley Trujillo: Vietnam Veteran, author, publisher, filmmaker, director/producer

Charley Trujillo was raised in Corcoran, in a typical Latino farm working for the family. Charley Trujillo worked in the fields with his family and attended Corcoran High school. Growing up in the 1960s he endured Corporal Punishment from the educators for speaking Spanish in the classroom. He faced discrimination in school and out of this family and fellow Chicanos. The segregation was emotionally damaging; however, it helped Charley preserve his Hispanic culture despite being a second-generation Latino.

Two weeks after graduating from Corcoran high school in 1968, Charley Trujillo enlisted in the U.S. Army. Charley was not drafted, he chose to sign up for the army for the experience and to mature out of his hometown. He served in Germany as an infantryman in 1969. From there he volunteered for Vietnam. He served there as a sergeant in the infantry, earning both a Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal. During his time in Vietnam, a piece of shrapnel landed in his right eye destroying his eye and making him a Disabled War Veteran. He served the U.S. Army from 1968 until 1970.

(bio info gathered form Charley Trujillo’s Wikipedia page, see link below)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charley_Trujillo