California’s War Dead

    Adan Gonzales Jr.

    Adan Gonzales Jr., 28

    Marines, Sergeant
    Helmand province, Afghanistan
    Gender: Male
    Hometown: Bakersfield
    He loved the training. He loved boot camp. I have a picture of a drill instructor yelling at my husband. He is smiling. That was him.
    — Catalina Gonzales, wife

    Gonzales was one of two Marines killed while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Gonzales served a tour of duty in Iraq and qualified for the Marine Corps' elite sniper school after successfully completing the rigorous introductory course.
    Times obituary
    « Rueben J. Lopez, 08/11/2011
    Andrew W. Harvell, 08/06/2011 »
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    Three memories of Adan Gonzales Jr.

    Adan was and always will be remembered as a great man who served his country along with many others. Adan (Adam) as i know him, was my nephew. He was always a happy boy got along with many. He loved life. Family was his world. Adan's mother and father did good in raising him. Adan had the biggest brown eyes and i will always remember him as little tata man. Thank you for comming and letting me see what a great man you had become. I Love You Adan.

    — Belinda
    August 17, 2011 at 9:16 a.m.
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    I served with him in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He had the strongest heart. In every thing he did as a Marine, he gave it his upmost best. He always motivated me to keep pushing when things got hard. We used to go on runs together, and he would always smoke me! I am deeply saddened. I'm going to miss you Sergeant..

    Your young motivated Corporal,

    Dener Echeverria

    — Dener Echeverria
    August 28, 2011 at 11:04 p.m.
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    Although I never had the pleasure of meeting him, I did have the honor if planting a tree in his memory, I was at camp hamilton the day before veterans day and myself and a friend, along with two marines planted a tree in his honor. Along side his three beautiful children and his widow.

    — Gabriel Ramirez
    November 15, 2011 at 7:58 p.m.
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    California's War Dead is the Los Angeles Times' collection of stories about the 700 California servicemembers and 474 others based in California who died during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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