Dining Hall to Be Dedicated to Marine

A new dining hall built at the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar near San Diego will be dedicated today in the memory of Sgt. David Gonzales, a Ventura native who died in the line of duty in Vietnam, officials said Friday.

The dedication of the $6.3-million facility will take place at 11 a.m., and several members of Gonzales’ family, many of whom live in Ventura County, will attend, Lt. Ed Morales said.

Maj. Gen. William Bowdon III, commander of the country’s western Marine Corps Air bases, will also attend, Morales said.

Gonzales, who was a helicopter mechanic in Marine Air Group 16, died when an aircraft in which he was riding went down in combat, Morales said. During his career, Gonzales earned the Silver Star for bravery.