Private First Class Gonzales was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy at the Western Outposts in Korea on 20 September 1952.

Gonzales was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.