lest we forget

GONSALEZ, MARIO

Rank / Branch:

  • CORPORAL (POSTHUMOUS)

Date Of Birth:

  • 1948-09-12

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE, MULTIPLE FRAGMENT WOUNDS

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • GROUND

Other:

  • MARRIED

Unit:

  • AMERICAL DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

  • 1970-03-05

Loss Coordinates:

  • QUANG TIN

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • GONSALEZ, MARIO, CORPORAL, U.S. ARMY, SAN ANGELO, TOM GREEN COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • COMBAT INFANTRYMANS BADGE, BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM

BIOGRAPHY

  • Mario Gonsalez was born in San Angelo, Texas, the son of Barbarita Pineda and Santiago Gonsalez. He was educated in Big Lake and the San Angelo Schools. He last attended San Angelo Lake View High School.
  • After attending high school, he married Delia Rodriguez of San Angelo and was working in San Angelo when he was drafted into the Army in November 1968. He completed basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas and AIT at Fort Ord, California.
  • He started his tour in Vietnam on June 23, 1969. He was assigned as an infantryman with C Company, 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry, 196th Light Infantry Brigade under the operational control of the 23rd (Americal Division). He was killed March 5, 1970 when enemy troops were seen in the open and the F.O. called in an artillery strike. The second shell was long and landed in the middle of his platoon while they were preparing for their night laager position. He was one of three killed and some 10 wounded.
  • He was buried with full military honors in the Fairmont Cemetery in San Angelo, Texas. He was posthumously promoted to Corporal and received the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Vietnam Military Merit Medal.
  • AIT AT FORT ORD, CALIFORNIA, 1969
  • FAIRMONT CEMETERY, SAN ANGELO, TEXAS