Interview 67- USMC Veteran, Machine Gunner to Singer Song Writer, Sal Gonzalez
- Interview 67- USMC Veteran, Machine Gunner to Singer Song Writer, Sal Gonzalez Bryan Roof 1:28:51
Born and raised in East Los Angeles, CA, Sal Gonzalez learned to sing in grade school while performing in the choir and quickly fell in love with the whole process. He later picked up playing guitar partially by learning from his self-taught father and partially by playing in bands with much better guitar players. Sal quickly started singing lead in bands throughout high school, having small success with his Spanish rock band “La Cabaña,” playing locally all-over Southern California.
After the terror attacks of 9/11, Sal decided to serve his country and shifted his focus from music to being a United States Marine—a title he would later earn in late 2003. After training to become a machine gunner, Sal proudly served with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines and would later be deployed to Iraq in the late summer of 2004. On October 31, 2004, Sal’s vehicle was struck for the 7th time during that deployment, killing Lt. Matthew D. Lynch and severely injuring Sal and one other Marine
Sal was flown to Bethesda Naval Hospital, where, after coming out of a weeklong coma, he learned the extent of his injuries. After more than 30 surgeries and 4 months of hospitalization, his left leg was amputated below the knee. Once healed, he was sent to San Antonio Medical Center in Texas, where he spent the next year learning to walk on his new prosthetic leg. Sal retired from the United States Marine Corps in late 2005 and, after a quick stay back home in Los Angeles, CA, he moved to Nashville, TN to pursue his dreams of songwriting and performing.
