I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3531 
To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Sergeant Alfredo 
‘‘Freddy’’ Gonzalez, in recognition of his heroism in the Vietnam War 
in February 1968. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 21, 2025 
Ms. DE LA CRUZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Ser-
geant Alfredo ‘‘Freddy’’ Gonzalez, in recognition of his 
heroism in the Vietnam War in February 1968. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sergeant Alfredo 
‘Freddy’ Gonzalez Congressional Gold Medal Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Alfredo Gonzalez was posthumously award-
ed the Medal of Honor for heroism in the Vietnam 
War in February 1968. 
(2) Gonzalez was born May 23, 1946, in Edin-
burg, Texas. He graduated from Lamar Grammar 
School, 1955, and from Edinburg High School, 
1965. 
(3) 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. 
(4) 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 Pen-
dleton, California, October 1965. 
(5) 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, 
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to lance corporal on Oct. 1, 1966, and to corporal 
on Dec. 1, 1966. 
(6) Upon returning to the United States in 
February 1967, he joined to 3d Replacement Com-
pany, Staging Battalion, Marine Corps Base, Camp 
Pendleton, for transfer to the Far East. 
(7) On July 1, 1967, he was promoted to ser-
geant, 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 Bat-
talion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. 
(8) While serving as platoon commander, 3d 
Platoon, Company A, on 31 January 1968, during 
the initial phase of Operation Hue City, Sgt. Gon-
zalez’ unit was formed as a reaction force and de-
ployed to Hue to relieve the pressure on the belea-
guered city. While moving by truck convoy along 
Route No. 1, near the village of Lang Van Lrong, 
the marines received a heavy volume of enemy fire. 
Sgt. Gonzalez aggressively maneuvered the marines 
in his platoon, and directed their fire until the area 
was cleared of snipers. Immediately after crossing a 
river south of Hue, the column was again hit by in-
tense enemy fire. One of the marines on top of a 
tank was wounded and fell to the ground in an ex-
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posed position. With complete disregard for his safe-
ty, Sgt. Gonzalez ran through the fire-swept area to 
the assistance of his injured comrade. He lifted him 
up and though receiving fragmentation wounds dur-
ing the rescue, he carried the wounded marine to a 
covered position for treatment. Due to the increased 
volume and accuracy of enemy fire from a fortified 
machine-gun bunker on the side of the road, the 
company was temporarily halted. Realizing the grav-
ity of the situation, Sgt. Gonzalez exposed himself to 
the enemy fire and moved his platoon along the east 
side of a bordering rice paddy to a dike directly 
across from the bunker. Though fully aware of the 
danger involved, he moved to the fire-swept road and 
destroyed the hostile position with hand grenades. 
Although seriously wounded again on 3 February, he 
steadfastly refused medical treatment and continued 
to supervise his men and lead the attack. On 4 Feb-
ruary, the enemy had again pinned the company 
down, inflicting heavy casualties with automatic- 
weapons and rocket fire. Sgt. Gonzalez, utilizing a 
number of light antitank assault weapons, fearlessly 
moved from position to position firing numerous 
rounds at the heavily fortified enemy emplacements. 
He successfully knocked out a rocket position and 
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