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Alan Gonzalez Jr. stands with three Yuma explosive ordnance disposal Marines at his Harvest Preparatory Academy kindergarten graduation in Yuma, Ariz., June 4, 2009. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Simon Wade, left, Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 EOD officer in charge, attended the graduation at the request of Gonzalez’s stepfather, Staff Sgt. Alonzo Smith, MWSS-371 EOD technician, who was wounded May 26, 2009, while disarming an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.(Photo by Lance Cpl. Graham J. Benson)

Photo by Lance Cpl. Graham J. Benson

Wounded Yuma Marine’s stepson gets surprise graduation visit

11 Jun 2009 | Lance Cpl. Josue Aguirre Marine Corps Air Station Yuma

Honoring the handwritten request made by a wounded fellow Marine from his hospital bed, three Yuma explosive ordnance disposal Marines attended his son’s kindergarten graduation June 4, 2009.

Staff Sgt. Alonzo Smith, Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 EOD technician, was wounded in Afghanistan while disarming an improvised explosive device May 26. After being evacuated to Germany, he was transported to the intensive care unit at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Simon Wade, Smith’s officer in charge, visited him in the hospital. Using his left hand to communicate, Smith wrote out a request that someone attend his stepson’s graduation at Harvest Preparatory Academy in Yuma.

Even while deployed, Smith stressed the importance of education over the phone to his son, Alan Gonzalez Jr., 6. It was Gonzalez’s first time attending school, and Smith felt the need to instill that value at a young age in his son.

After planning with the school staff to surprise Gonzalez, Wade appeared at the graduation with Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ralph Crye, Smith’s former officer in charge, and Master Gunnery Sgt. Lee Sherwood, Smith’s staff noncommissioned officer in charge.

“It was awesome,” said Wade. “One of the senior counselors is a retired master sergeant and they went all out. They were playing patriotic music and videos. It was a really cool graduation. His son was in awe; he didn’t know at all that we were coming.”

Sherwood and Crye escorted Smith’s son to the stage where they gave him an Eagle, Globe and Anchor--the Marine Corps emblem.

Sherwood gave him an enlisted emblem and Crye did the same with an officer one.

“Staff Sgt. Smith spelled it out for me when I was out there,” said Wade. “He spelled out E-G-A. He wanted to give the EGA to his son."

Gonzalez also received his father’s dog tags and a Marine Corps coin from his mom, Dulce Smith. She was at Smith’s side in Bethesda, and they each wrote a letter, which were read to their son at the graduation.

“I am very proud of you today. I know we have worked very hard together, and I want you to know that I will keep on being there for you. I love you,” Smith wrote in a letter.

Gonzalez is staying with his grandmother in Yuma while his mother is with Smith.

Dulce plans to stay at her husband’s side until he makes a full recovery, she said.

“I’m very proud of him,” said Dulce. “He’s very strong and wants to get up and walk. He keeps saying he wants to go home.”

President Barack Obama visited with Smith and his family after personally awarding him the Purple Heart at the hospital June 1.

“He is very nice and acted like he knew us,” said Dulce about the president.

Although Smith could not attend his son’s kindergarten graduation, he has family with him that love him.

“Although my son is injured, I have no complaints,” said Norajoni Smith, Smith’s mother. “He knew the risk. He chose his job. He loves his country. He’s doing what he says will help us. He has done his job to protect us. It’s his turn to relax and let us take care of him.”


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