Click the image above to read PFC Ramon Gonzalez-Rodriguez profile.
UPDATE: I am pleased to be able to tell you that I located the last missing Marine picture for the VVMF Wall of Faces database. A National Task Group has been operating for the past three or four years working to locate a picture of every name on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. I joined the Group about two years ago to provide Marine Corps "expertise" on the last, most difficult pictures to locate. Yesterday, I was able to obtain a picture of PFC Ramon "Speedy" Gonzalez-Rodriguez from Puerto Rico. He died in combat on 19 May 1967 on Operation HIckory near the DMZ while with Kilo, 3/9. There are 14, 856 names of Marines on the Wall. Today, there are 14,856 pictures. I always felt that we didn't want to leave anyone behind as is our ethos. RIP, Speedy and welcome home!
I have been involved with a national undertaking led by the VVA to find a picture of every name on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington. The pictures are then uploaded to a data base called The Wall of Faces with the intention that those names have a face and, to the extent possible, a small story of each. There are 58,282 names engraved on the Wall and as of May 1st, the national team has located all but 65. There are 14,844 Marine names on the Wall. We have located all but ONE! The research to locate these pictures is tedious, very difficult, and frustrating but when we find a picture, it is almost a joyful moment.
In the effort to leave no stone unturned, I am asking our Vietnam Veteran population within our Detachment to possibly help us. Private First Class Ramon Gonzales-Rodriquez was in one of four platoons at Parris Island. He arrived in early February, 1966 and graduated on 12/13 April 1966. He was KIA on Operation Hickory on 19 May 1967 with Kilo, 3/9. He was from Puerto Rico. The PISC platoons are 136, 137, 138, or 139. At this point, having exhausted all attempts to locate surviving relatives, our only possibility is to find a copy of his Platoon Graduation Book in which we should find his picture.
If you graduated from Parris Island on 12/13 April 1966 and were in one of these platoons will you please contact me. You can reach me at this email or at 1-352-459-5884 (my mobile). I know this is a long shot but, like I said, leaving no stone unturned.
Semper Fidelis,
James, John Davies.
Click the image below to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Wall of Faces website.
