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Remembering those we lost
Brehm
Army Ranger Dale Brehm - photo by Photo Contributed

Since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Turlock has seen the tragic loss of three young men. Capt. Raymond Dwayne Hill II, 39, was the first death Turlock experienced and it was a sobering reminder about the real costs of war. Hill was with the National Guard and was killed in action on Oct. 29, 2005, from a roadside bomb that exploded near his Humvee while on patrol in Baghdad. He left behind a wife and two young daughters. He enjoyed working on classic cars, and was active in 4-H both as a member and as a leader. Hill is buried at Lakewood Memorial Park. Almost three and a half months later, Turlock was shaken by a second death of a local soldier. Sgt. 1st Class Chad Gonsalves served with the Green Berets and was killed in action in Afghanistan on Feb. 13, 2006, by a roadside bomb. Gonsalves, 31, left behind a wife, a young son and twin infants. Gonsalves was remembered for his unwavering sense of duty and loyalty. He is interred at Turlock Memorial Park. Still mourning the loss of one soldier, the Turlock community was hit again with the passing of Army Ranger Dale Brehm, 23. Brehm was killed in Iraq on March 18, 2006, when his unit came under fire. Brehm left behind a wife. Brehm was an avid reader and in his memory his mother, Laura Williams, started a chapter of Operation Paperback that sends books to soldiers overseas. He was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.