Rodolfo Marciano Gonzalez

Corporal
VMO-6, MAG-36, 1ST MAW
United States Marine Corps
12 July 1944 - 14 November 1966
Harlingen, Texas
Panel 12E Line 070

1ST MAW

VMO-6
Combat Aircrew

Purple Heart, Air Medal, National Defense, Vietnam Service, Vietnam Campaign

The database page for Rodolfo Marciano Gonzalez

06 Aug 2005

RODOLFO MARCIANO GONZALEZ
REST IN PEACE. DESCANSA EN PAZ.

Rodolfo (Rudy) and I attended school together. We were from the barrio. He joined the Corps before I did. I never got the chance to meet him while in the Corps. Rudy was a gunner on a chopper from what I was told. When I returned from my first tour of duty to "el valle" his cousin and a close friend of mine, Chuy Ramos, asked me if I could be a pallbearer for Rudy's funeral. He asked because I was a Marine and he wanted someone who knew Rudy in the Marine Detail. At first, I was sad to hear that he had been killed in Vietnam. I quickly but hesitantly agreed. I had just arrived from Vietnam and my uniforms were not ready, but nonetheless, I had to get my "greens" ready even if they did not have the NCO stripes. At the funeral services, I learned that Rudy had died on November 14, 1966. I was still in the bush at the time his chopper went down. I wondered why it had taken so long for his body to arrive.

I remember Rudy being quiet and very strict. He was the punctual type. Good Marine material.

Arturo Garza
sgteseusmc@yahoo.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall

Three men from VMO-6 died on 14 November 1966 when their UH-1E (BuNo 151873) was shot down while conducting a strafing run:
  • Capt Leon G. Chadwick, Raleigh, NC, pilot (Silver Star)
  • Sgt Daniel M. Bennett, Boynton Beach, FL, aircrewman
  • Cpl Rodolfo M. Gonzalez, Harlingen, TX, aircrewman


The point-of-contact for this memorial is
a friend from the barrio,
Arturo Garza
sgteseusmc@yahoo.com
6 Aug 2005



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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Last updated 08/18/2005