Ruben Castillo Papers
Scope and Contents Note
The collection is organized into two series: 1) Artifact and Letters and 2) Photographs.
Artifact and Letters include a bucket hat used by Ruben while in Vietnam and correspondence. Letter writer names include Ruben and Ron/Ronnie.
Photographs include images of Ruben and other soldiers, photos of Vietnamese women and girls, landscape views, and military equipment. The album also includes a certificate and medal for the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service in Vietnam during March 1968 to February 1969. The album was disassembled and photographs were rehoused for preservation. Other photographs were loose and are stored in a separate folder.
Dates
- Creation: 1968-1969
Language of Materials
English
Access Restrictions
Unrestricted.
Use Restrictions
Standard copyright restrictions apply.
Biographical Sketch
Ruben Castillo was born on August 23, 1947, at Herman Hospital in Houston, Texas to Cipriano Castillo and Mary (Pulido) Castillo. Mary and Cipriano lived in Houston, Texas and had two children, Ruben and Roque Castillo. Roque had the nickname Rocky or Rock. After Cipriano died, Mary (Pulido Castillo) eventually married Joe Ramirez in Columbus, Texas in 1951. Ruben's half-siblings are Ronnie and Penny Ramirez. He attended elementary, middle, and high school in Columbus.
Ruben was cousin of Dr. George F. Rivera of Columbus, Texas. Dr. Rivera went on to be a sociology and art professor at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Ruben passed away in 2017. He was survived by Peggy, Ryne, and Raegan Castillo. Biographical information provided by Ruben's family.
Full Extent
1 linear foot
Abstract
The Ruben Castillo collection includes letters, photographs, and a hat that document his military service in Vietnam during 1968-1969.
Acquisition Information
Donation.
Accession numbers: 2026-024
Additions
No further materials are expected for this collection.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Carla O. Alvarez, 2026.
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Ruben Castillo Papers
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection
- Date
- 2026
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard (Dacs)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Benson Latin American Collection, The University of Texas at Austin Repository
2300 Red River Street
Austin Texas 78712 United States
(512) 495-4578
bensonspecialcollections@austin.utexas.edu