Names of Note: Green Berets honor a fallen member from Turlock, 13 years later
The headquarters building for an elite Army battalion now bears the name of Sgt. 1st Class Chad Gonsalves of Turlock, who died in Afghanistan in 2006.
The 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), stationed at Elgin Air Force Base in Florida, bestowed the honor at a recent ceremony. The Special Forces are better known as the Green Berets.
Gonsalves, then 31, was among four Americans killed on Feb. 13, 2006, while patrolling with Afghan soldiers in the mountainous region of Uruzgan. A roadside bomb hit their armored vehicle.
Higher-ups in the Special Forces considered several names for the building, said an email from Marsha Gonsalves, the soldier’s mother. She and several other family members attended the ceremony.
“It was a truly moving event,” she said. “I saw first-hand the true unity our soldiers have for each other and the respect and pride they show for their fallen comrades. I was in total awe.”
At the time of his death, Chad and Julie Gonsalves had three sons – 3-year-old Cody and 1-year-old twins Blake and Dylan. The now-teenage boys and their mom took part in the dedication of Gonsalves Hall.
Chad Gonsalves was the first service member from Stanislaus County to die in the military action in Afghanistan. It was launched soon after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Swanson gets water post
Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Turlock businessman Matthew Swanson to a four-year term on the California Water Commission.
Swanson has been president and chief executive officer at Associated Feed & Supply Co. since 1998.
The nine-member commissioner advises the director of the California Department of Water Resources on operation of the State Water Project and other issues. It also allots money to reservoir and groundwater storage projects under a bond measure approved by voters in 2014.
The state Senate must confirm the appointment.
And finally ...
Keyes to Learning Charter School has expanded into eight new classrooms next to the Keyes Union School District office.
The Lucinda Avenue site serves seventh to 12th grades, which had been crowded into the Ninth Street campus with other programs of the charter school.
“The teachers are excited to have their own classes that, in some cases, are more than twice the size of the classrooms used for the past seven years,” said an email from Vicki Harmon, 7-12 program coordinator.
Keyes to Learning will celebrate its 25th anniversary in the school year that just started.
Names of Note recognizes people and organizations for their contribution to their communities. Submit items to jholland@modbee.com.
