Marine Corps Sergeant Rafael Peralta.
That name should sound familiar because numerous stories have been written, including at least half-a-dozen by this author, about this Marine's heroism.
My first story about this Marine appeared in May 2009 under the title "Stolen Valor at the Highest Levels: The Case of Sgt. Rafael Peralta"
As best as I can remember, one of the last stories I wrote about this young Marine appeared in the Huffington Post in March 2012 and was titled, "Is Justice About to Be Done in the Case of Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta?"
Regrettably, it didn't quite work out that way.
However, I am getting ahead of myself and probably ahead of everyone else.
At a young age, Rafael Peralta came to the United States from Mexico and, as soon as he had his "green card," he joined the U.S. Marine Corps.
While serving in the Marine Corps, Peralta earned his U.S. citizenship.
After joining the Corps, Peralta deployed to Iraq.
On November 14, 2004, Sgt. Peralta, a scout team leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment was participating in Operation AL FAJR, the bloody U.S. military house-to-house battle to retake Fallujah where, at the young age of 25, Peralta unselfishly and heroically gave his life for his newly adopted country.
The citation accompanying the award of the Navy Cross, the service's second highest award for heroism, to Sgt. Peralta tells the story:
Clearing scores of houses in the previous three days, Sergeant Peralta' asked to join an under strength squad and volunteered to stand post the night of 14 November, allowing fellow Marines more time to rest. The following morning, during search and attack operations, while clearing the seventh house of the day, the point man opened a door to a back room and immediately came under intense, close-range automatic weapons fire from multiple insurgents. The squad returned fire, wounding one insurgent. While attempting to maneuver out of the line of fire, Sergeant Peralta was shot and fell mortally wounded. After the initial exchange of gunfire, the insurgents broke contact, throwing a fragmentation grenade as they fled the building. The grenade came to rest near Sergeant Peralta's head. Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own personal safety, Sergeant Peralta reached out and pulled the grenade to his body, absorbing the brunt of the blast and shielding fellow Marines only feet away. Sergeant Peralta succumbed to his wounds. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty, Sergeant Peralta reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
However, Sgt. Peralta had originally been nominated for the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award for valor -- as he richly deserved.
The nomination was approved by the Commandant of the Marine Corps and by the Secretary of the Navy.
In December 2004, U.S. Congressman Bob Filner of California also introduced legislation to award Sgt. Peralta the Medal of Honor.
But something very peculiar happened to Sgt. Peralta's recommendation when it reached the Pentagon and perhaps even the White House.
In 2009, I wrote:
We may never know exactly what went awry at the Pentagon, or at the White House. But we know all too well the sad conclusion to this chapter.
On September 17, 2008, Rafael Peralta's family was notified by U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Richard Natonski that Secretary of Defense Robert Gates had rejected the Marine Corps' recommendation for Sgt. Peralta to receive the Medal of Honor. Instead, Peralta would be receiving the Navy Cross.
Incredibly, Gates' appointed panel unanimously claimed that Peralta's actions did not meet the standard of "without any possibility of error or doubt". The central argument was as to whether the already critically wounded Peralta could have intentionally reached for the grenade, shielding his fellow Marines from the blast with his own body.
However, in the Marine Corps investigation of the attack, Lt. Gen. Natonski said, "I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that the gravely wounded Peralta covered the grenade."
Since then, numerous elected officials, military authorities, media personalities, organizations and individuals have investigated and reviewed every aspect surrounding Peralta's sacrifice and surrounding the medal's nomination, review and approval processes and have appealed to, petitioned and implored secretaries of defense and even President Obama to award Sgt. Rafael Peralta the Medal of Honor.
Even the Hawaii House of Representatives passed a Concurrent Resolution in September 2009 "strongly urging the Secretary of Defense and the President of the United States to award Sgt. Rafael Peralta the Medal of Honor."
All to no avail.
But then, in March 2012, there was a glimmer of hope.
Julie Watson at the Associated Press reported:
Federal lawmakers announced Thursday they have obtained information previously unavailable to military investigators that proves the Navy should not have disqualified a San Diego Marine from being posthumously awarded America's highest military honor.
U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter [Ca.] said his office sent a formal request from the area's congressional delegation to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus urging him to reconsider Sgt. Rafael Peralta for the Medal of Honor in a last-ditch effort before the deadline ends. Four other San Diego-area representatives and California Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer also signed the letter.
According to the A.P., Congressman Hunter had "obtained a video of the battle action and a newly released report by a forensic pathologist that proves Peralta was conscious and intentionally pulled the grenade under his body ... information [that] was previously unavailable to military investigators and reaffirms 'just how wrong Secretary Gates and his panel were in reaching their decision.'"
On June 8 of this year, nearly 11 years after his heroic death, and after declining for many years to accept the second-highest award for valor, Sgt. Peralta's family finally accepted the Navy Cross on his behalf.
According to the Washington Post, "Peralta's mother, Rosa, still believes the sergeant deserves the nation's highest award for heroism in combat, but is tired after years of appeals."
A spokesman for California representative Duncan Hunter, who has tirelessly pushed for Peralta to receive the Medal of Honor said:
This is far from a done deal. The overwhelming evidence still points to the Medal of Honor...There are still four eyewitness accounts. There is video and photo evidence -- and a piece of the grenade fuse still lodged in the body armor. This case became political, unfortunately, so time and distance will help mute a lot the back and forth that occurred. Bottom line is the people who were surrounding Gates, Panetta and Hagel need to pass on. Only once they are long gone and things have a chance to reset can there be any real guarantee of objective consideration.
Thank you Congressman Hunter.
On October 29, the U.S. Department of Defense formally announced the naming of the Navy's newest guided missile destroyer.
It will be known as the USS Rafael Peralta, honoring this brave Marine.
The "USS Rafael Peralta" just weeks before its Christening. Photo courtesy General Dynamics Bath Iron Works.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said, "The tremendous efforts of the highly-skilled men and women of the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works team have brought this ship from an idea to a reality. Their work will ensure that the heroism, service and sacrifice of Marine Corps Sergeant Rafael Peralta will be honored and remembered by all who come in contact with DDG 115 long after this great warship is christened."
Sgt. Peralta's mother, Rosa Maria, will serve as ship's sponsor and officially christen the ship "Rafael Peralta."
Lead photo: Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta. Courtesy Department of Defense.
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