Sgt. Rafael Peralta - USMC, Nov. 15, 2004

[Louis]

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On November 15, 2004, 25 year old Sgt. Peralta, deployed to Iraq as a scout team leader assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, along with his team was ordered to clear houses in the Operation Phantom Fury. Peralta was not assigned to enter the buildings, but chose to do so anyway.-​

Sergeant Peralta led his team through a series of house clearings before charging into the fourth house. He found two rooms empty on the ground floor. Peralta opened a third door and was hit multiple times with AK-47 fire, leaving him severely wounded. He dropped to the floor and moved aside in order to allow the Marines behind him to return fire.-​

The insurgents responded by throwing a grenade at the Marines. The two Marines with Sgt. Peralta tried to get out of the room but could not. Sgt. Peralta was still conscious on the floor and reports indicate that despite his wounds, he was able to reach for the grenade and pull it under his body absorbing the majority of the lethal blast and shrapnel which killed him instantly, but saved the lives of his fellow Marines.-​

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The Marine Corps nominated Peralta for the Medal of Honor in 2008, but then-Defense Secretary Robert Gates downgraded the award to the Navy Cross. Gates based his decision on the conclusion that Peralta, who suffered a head wound, was not conscious when his body covered the grenade.-​

 

[Louis]

Two U.S. lawmakers joined in the call to award Marine Corps Sgt. Rafael Peralta a posthumous Medal of Honor.
U.S. Representatives Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and Xavier Becerra (D-CA), working with Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), introduced a joint House-Senate resolution to award Peralta the medal. They introduced the resolution on the 10-year anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq War.

“Sergeant Peralta is a hero, not just to the men who witnessed him do the unthinkable, but also to the Marine Corps and all others who value the courage and sacrifice of America’s military,” Hunter said in a statement.

The Marines that were with Peralta that day have said while he was wounded, he reached out and smothered an enemy grenade, saving the lives of several other soldiers.-

Since the announcement that Peralta would receive the Navy Cross instead of the Medal of Honor, numerous groups and individuals have spoken out in support of the Medal of Honor for Peralta. The Congressional delegations from California and Hawaii, as well as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, have requested a Presidential review of Gates' decision against a Medal of Honor award.- Although calls to elevate the award have not been acted on to date, lawmakers have not given up and continue their efforts. Of the seven servicemembers nominations for the Medal of Honor that have reached the Secretary of Defense, Peralta's is the only nomination that has not been approved.
In March 2012, the Marine Corps Times reported that Navy officials were reviewing new evidence related to Peralta's case, including two videos, one being filmed by Marine combat photographer Steve Sebby, and a pathology report.-

In December 2012, the Department of Defense announced that the Navy Cross will not be upgraded, with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta saying he did not want to overturn the decision of Secretary of Defense Gates. In response, Hunter stated he will continue to seek appeals; introducing a resolution, cosponsored by fellow California Representative Xavier Becerra, recommending that Peralta be awarded the Medal of Honor. With Chuck Hagel replacing Panetta as the Secretary of Defense, Hunter said that Hagel maybe more receptive than Panetta was regarding the new evidence.-

Source: online.wsj.com, wiki, youtube and other sites

 

[Dutch Grenadier]

Damn I hate politicians and armchair generals... This man gave his life to save his fellow marines.

*respect*

 

[Facman]

I care not what the rear echelon types think, the man is a hero that no award could overshadow.

~SALUTE~