Mario D. Gonzalez killed in combat

LA PUENTE - A 21-year-old La Puente man died in Iraq on Tuesday from wounds received in combat, military officials said Thursday.

Marine Lance Cpl. Mario D. Gonzalez was killed in Al Anbar province. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.

He is the 21st San Gabriel Valley resident - and the fourth person from La Puente - to be killed since the war started in March 2003.

Family members could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Gonzalez and Lance Cpl. Michael D. Scholl, of Lincoln, Neb., another Hawaii-based Marine, died Tuesday from wounds received in combat in the Al Anbar province.

Both joined the Marine Corps in June 2004 and reported to Hawaii several months later. They spent eight months in Afghanistan last year and deployed to Iraq in September.

They were assigned to the same battalion as Lance Cpl. Timothy W. Brown of Sacramento, who was also killed Tuesday in Al Anbar province. It was not clear if they were involved in the same incident.

From the Tribune