Sergeant Alfredo ‘Freddy’ Gonzalez
Alfredo Gonzalez, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in the Vietnam War in February 1968.
Gonzalez was born May 23, 1946, in Edinburg, Texas. He graduated from Lamar Grammar School, 1955, and from Edinburg High School, 1965.
Gonzalez enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve at San Antonio, Texas, June 3, 1965 and was discharged to enlist as an active-duty Marine, July 6, 1965.
He completed recruit training with the 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, September 1965, and individual combat training with the 2d Battalion, 2d Infantry Training Regiment, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California, October 1965
After completing individual combat training, he became a rifleman with Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and served in that capacity until January 1966. Following this, he saw a one-year tour of duty as a rifleman and squadron leader with Company L, 3d Battalion, 4th Marines, 3d Marine Division. He was promoted to private first class on Jan. 1, 1966, to lance corporal on Oct. 1, 1966, and to corporal on Dec. 1, 1966.
Upon returning to the U.S. in February 1967, he joined to 3d Replacement Company, Staging Battalion, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, for transfer to the Far East.
On July 1, 1967, he was promoted to sergeant, and later that month arrived in the Republic of Vietnam. He served as a squad leader and platoon sergeant with the 3d Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division.
While participating in the initial phase of Operation Hue City in the vicinity of Thua Thien, Vietnam, on Feb. 4, 1968, Gonzalez was mortally wounded by hostile rocket fire.
His complete list of medals and decorations include: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the Presidential Unit Citation, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with start, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with palm, the Military Merit Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.