The Team
Meet the team of faculty and students who have worked on the Vietnam Veterans Oral History Project.
Dr. Sarah King, Associate Professor of History
Dr. King is an Associate Professor in the Department of History, Political Science, and Philosophy at USC Aiken. She is a historian of the US in the 20th century with a research specialization in the Vietnam War. Since 2020, Dr. King has taught a range of US history classes at USCA, ranging in focus from the 1960s and the Vietnam War to popular culture, African American history, the US since 1975, and digital history. Dr. King’s work on the project focuses on preparing students to conduct the interviews via historical study and oral history training; discussing the project with Vietnam veterans the wider Aiken community; and leading the writing of each veteran’s biographies and interview summaries. Dr. King holds a BA from the University of Toronto, an MA from the University of Waterloo, and a PhD from Binghamton University.
Dr. David L. Morris II, Associate Professor of Emerging Media
Dr. Morris is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Emerging Media at the University of South Carolina Aiken. He specializes in visual communication, media production, and emerging technology. Through his teaching and research, Dr. Morris explores how media can preserve stories, shape understanding, and connect audiences across generations. His work with the Vietnam Veterans Oral History Project brings together his expertise in communication and digital storytelling to help document and share the powerful firsthand experiences of those who served. Dr. Morris holds a BA from Wright State University, an MA from the University of Memphis, and a PhD from the University of Oregon.
Lauren Lucas
Lauren Lucas continues her work on this project, serving as the Student Producer for the VVOHP’s first two years. Lauren is an Emerging Media major with dual minors in Professional Writing and Studio Arts. She is part of USCA’s class of 2027 and is originally from Lexington, South Carolina. Lauren was drawn to the Vietnam Veterans Oral History Project because it combines her interests in media production and storytelling with a meaningful opportunity to preserve the personal experiences of those who served. She values the chance to apply her communication skills to a project that deepens historical understanding and honors veterans’ voices.
Palmer McCay
Palmer McCay is the oral history student researcher for the 2025–26 academic year. A History major with an International Relations minor, Palmer’s interest in the project centers on his grandfather’s twenty-year career in the US military, including time in Vietnam during the war. In December 2025, Palmer was awarded a prestigious Magellan Scholar Award that will support his work on this project in spring 2026. Palmer’s hometown is Edgefield, South Carolina. He plans to graduate from USCA in May 2027.
Luke Aldridge
Luke Aldridge was the oral history student research for the project’s inaugural 2024–25 year. He graduated in May 2025 with a major in History. Luke grew up in Clover, South Carolina. His interest in the project began while taking Dr. King’s Vietnam War class alongside a Vietnam veteran. Luke subsequently undertook oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans as part of the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress, out of which this project grew. Luke won two Magellan Scholar Awards that supported his oral history work.