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Dolia Gonzalez, the woman who kept her Medal of Honor-recipient son’s memory alive long after he was killed in Vietnam, has died at the age of 94.
Gonzalez’s son, Freddy Gonzalez, was killed in Hue, Vietnam on Feb. 4, 1968 at the age of 21. He died protecting the men in his platoon, an act of heroism that earned him a posthumous Medal of Honor and the subsequent naming of the USS Gonzalez, a destroyer in the U.S. Navy.
She was 38-years-old when he died, and he was her only son.
“I’ve been through hell and back ever since I lost my boy,” his mother said the last time she spoke with The Monitor in 2022 as she discussed the letters her son sent her, letters which she donated to the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg.
“María Dolia González died last night at 9:31 in Edinburg. She was born on Aug. 18, 1929, in the same community. She would have turned 95 in five days. Today, we celebrate her life,” a post on the museum’s Facebook page read.
The museum shared a video of Gonzalez from Nov. 3, 2020 in conversation with the museum’s Chief Executive Officer Francisco Guajardo.
“True to form, she was impassioned, feisty, and wonderful,” the post continued. “We have much to learn from Dolia González, one of the brightest lights in the history of our community.”
Gonzalez’s support for veterans, especially Marines, only grew stronger in the years following her son’s death. She became a surrogate mother to Freddy’s fellow Marines who served with him in Vietnam.
“They all call me ‘Mom,” she said in 2022.
“Her unwavering dedication to our post and her community has touched the lives of so many,” a post on the Facebook page for American Legion Post 408 read, describing her as a long-standing Auxiliary member. “Ms. Gonzalez’s strength, grace, and enduring love will be forever remembered. She has left an indelible mark on all of us, and her presence will be sorely missed.”
Tributes have poured out from local elected officials who have drawn inspiration from Gonzalez.
“Mrs. Gonzalez was a driving force in honoring the legacy of her son and left her own legacy of commitment to our veterans,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said on Facebook. “May she rest in peace now that she has joined her beloved son.”
State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, a fellow Marine, shared a photo of himself with Gonzalez on Facebook saying that he is saddened by her passing.
“In 1969, Mrs. Gonzalez was escorted to the White House to receive the Medal of Honor awarded to her son posthumously for saving many Marine lives,” Hinojosa said. “As a Gold Star Mother, we are forever grateful to Mrs. Gonzalez for her sacrifice. May she rest in peace and be in Heaven.”
The city of Edinburg, Gonzalez’s hometown, also shared a tribute on their Facebook page, offering condolences to her family and describing her as a cornerstone to the community.
“As the proud mother of Edinburg’s Medal of Honor recipient, Alfredo ‘Freddy’ Gonzalez, Ms. Gonzalez’s unwavering commitment to our city has profoundly impacted countless lives,” the post read. “Her legacy will forever be remembered in Edinburg.”
