By: Lucio S.R. No. 1240
1-1 SENATE RESOLUTION
1-2 WHEREAS, Dolia Gonzalez of Edinburg, Texas, recently
1-3 christened the Navy's newest missile destroyer, the USS Gonzalez,
1-4 which is named in memory of her son, Alfredo Gonzalez; and
1-5 WHEREAS, This modern vessel is the first naval missile
1-6 destroyer to be named after a Texan of Hispanic descent, and it
1-7 is fitting that the Senate of the State of Texas take note of the
1-8 historic occasion honoring this young hero of the Vietnam War; and
1-9 WHEREAS, Born in 1946, Alfredo Gonzalez grew up in the
1-10 Rio Grande Valley and was an outstanding student who played
1-11 varsity at Edinburg High School, where he was graduated in May
1-12 of 1965; as an only son, he was exempt from military service,
1-13 but on graduation he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in
1-14 San Antonio, and a month later, in June, he was discharged from
1-15 the reserves to enlist in the regular Marine Corps; and
1-16 WHEREAS, His first tour of duty in Vietnam lasted 13 months;
1-17 after a brief stateside assignment at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina,
1-18 he volunteered for a second tour in Vietnam; and
1-19 WHEREAS, Upon resuming his service in Vietnam, he became a
1-20 sergeant and squad leader and saw action for the next six months;
1-21 in January, 1968, over a period of several days beginning on
1-22 January 31, 1968, his unit was immersed in the intense fighting
1-23 for the beleaguered city of Hue, and during the next four days,
2-1 Sergeant Gonzalez personally advanced from one heroic action to
2-2 another, being wounded twice, once while saving the life of one of
2-3 his men; he steadfastly refused medical treatment, continuing to
2-4 lead and to fight alongside his men; and two days before Valentine's
2-5 Day, Mrs. Gonzalez was informed of her son's death; and
2-6 WHEREAS, Alfredo Gonzalez died in the Saint Joan of Arc
2-7 Catholic School in Hue on February 4, 1968; the men in his platoon
2-8 called him "the perfect Marine"; Sol Marroquin of Mission, Texas,
2-9 wrote a book on the life of this hero, saying, "He was a model son,
2-10 a hard worker, a good student and an excellent athlete who achieved
2-11 excellence (in all that he did)"; while his former coach and
2-12 teammates called him a team leader who never quit; and
2-13 WHEREAS, Alfredo Gonzalez was awarded the Congressional Medal
2-14 of Honor, posthumously; the Purple Heart; the Presidential Unit
2-15 Citation; the National Defense Service Medal; the Vietnam Service
2-16 Medal with two bronze stars; the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with
2-17 star; the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with palm; the Military
2-18 Merit medal; and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal; he was the
2-19 only man to receive the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions
2-20 in the battle for the city of Hue; and
2-21 WHEREAS, When his body was returned to Edinburg, it lay in
2-22 state for three days, and Sergeant Gonzalez was buried with full
2-23 military honors and a rifle salute by a Marine Honor Guard from
2-24 Corpus Christi; members of the Edinburg Bobcat football squad who
2-25 had played with Sergeant Gonzales in the years 1963, 1964, 1965,
3-1 and 1966 formed an honor victory line, while the city was shut down
3-2 for five minutes in his honor; and
3-3 WHEREAS, The Armed Forces and the citizens of Texas have
3-4 paid homage to Alfredo Gonzalez in many ways, including the
3-5 Alfredo Gonzalez Dining Hall at the Corpus Christi Naval Station;
3-6 the Alfredo Gonzalez Boulevard at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina;
3-7 the Alfredo Gonzalez American Legion Post 408 in Edinburg; the
3-8 Alfredo Gonzalez Flag Pole at Fort Sam Houston; the Alfredo Gonzalez
3-9 bronze figure at The University of Texas--Pan American; the
3-10 Freddy Gonzalez Elementary School; the Freddy Gonzalez Athletic
3-11 Award at Edinburg High School; the Freddy Gonzalez, Jr., ROTC
3-12 Rifles/Drill Team at Memorial High School in McAllen; and the
3-13 Freddy Gonzalez Boulevard in Edinburg; and
3-14 WHEREAS, The men of his Marine company have kept watch over
3-15 Mrs. Gonzalez, and at Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mother's Day,
3-16 she receives expressions of their affection and appreciation; these
3-17 loyal and courageous companions of Sergeant Gonzalez accompanied
3-18 Mrs. Gonzalez to the Bath Iron Works at Bath, Maine, for the
3-19 destroyer's christening; and
3-20 WHEREAS, It is fitting that the Texas Senate honor the
3-21 memory of a native son and valiant hero; now, therefore, be it
3-22 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
3-23 74th Legislature, pay tribute to Alfredo Gonzalez, whose courage
3-24 and fidelity to his comrades in the face of death embodied the
3-25 noblest self-sacrifice which a soldier can make; and, be it further
4-1 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
4-2 Mrs. Gonzalez in memory of the occasion.
4-3 ______________________________________
4-4 President of the Senate
4-5 I hereby certify that the above
4-6 Resolution was adopted by the Senate
4-7 on May 25, 1995.
4-8 ______________________________________
4-9 Secretary of the Senate
4-10 ______________________________________
4-11 Member, Texas Senate