Rafael Peralta

Infobox Military Person
name= Rafael Peralta
born= birth date|1979|4|7
died= death date and age|2004|11|15|1979|4|7
placeofbirth= Mexico City, Mexico
placeofdeath= Killed in action in Fallujah, Iraq
placeofburial=Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery


caption= Sgt. Rafael Peralta
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|United States United States
branch=USMC
serviceyears= 2000-2004
rank= Sergeant
commands=
unit= 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines
battles=Operation Iraqi Freedom *Operation Phantom Fury
awards= Purple Heart
laterwork=

Sergeant Rafael Peralta (April 7, 1979–November 15, 2004) assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, was a United States Marine killed in combat during Operation Phantom Fury in the city of Fallujah, Iraq. In September 2008, his family was notified that he will be awarded the Navy Cross, the second highest award a United States Marine can receive. cite web |accessdate=2008-09-18 |url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/09/marine_peralta_navycross_091708/
title=Peralta to be given Navy Cross posthumously — No Medal of Honor for sergeant hit by ‘friendly fire’
work=Marine Corps Times
date=September 17, 2008
author=Fuentes, Gidget]

Personal history

Rafael Peralta was born on April 7, 1979 in Mexico City. Son of Rafael and Rosa Peralta, the oldest of four siblings Icelda, Karen and Ricardo. He immigrated to the United States and joined the United States Marine Corps as soon as he had a green card. He later became an American citizen while serving in the Marine Corps.

According to accounts, Peralta served the United States with enthusiasm and patriotism: "In his parent's home, on his bedroom walls hung only three items - a copy of the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights and his boot camp graduation certificate. Before he set out for Fallujah, he wrote to his 14-year old brother, 'be proud of me, bro...and be proud of being an American.'"web cite|first=Oliver|last=North
title=Hero in Fallujah: Marine Laid Himself on Top of Grenade to Save Rest of Squad
date=2004-12-16
url=http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=6062
work=HumanEvents.com
accessdate=2006-05-30]

Killed in action

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.cite journal
last=Ephron |first=Dan
title=Where's the Respect? |date=February 11, 2008|journal=Newsweek
url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/107585]

Sgt. Peralta is buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.

Award for valor

In December 2004, U.S. Congressman Bob Filner of California introduced legislation to award Sgt. Peralta the Medal of Honor.cite web|accessdate=2008-09-18
url=http://www.house.gov/filner/enews/0105.htm
title=A Salute to An American Patriot: Sgt. Rafael Peralta
author=Filner, Bob
work=Congressman Bob Filner's Congressional Update
date=January 2005] As of January 22, 2008, a Medal of Honor award for Sgt. Peralta was awaiting presidential approval.cite news|first=William|last=Cole
title=Marine may finally get Medal of Honor
date=January 22, 2008
url=http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008801220364
work=The Honolulu Advertiser
accessdate=2008-01-27]

On September 17, 2008, Rafael Peralta's family was notified by LtGen. Richard Natonski that he would not receive the Medal of Honor, but the Navy Cross instead, the service's second highest award for valor. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates rejected the Marine Corps' recommendation, concluding that his appointed panel unanimously confirmed that his actions did not meet the standard of "without any possibility of error or doubt". The central argument posed relates to whether the already mortally-wounded Peralta could have intentionally reached for a grenade, shielding his fellow Marines from the blast. In a Marine Corps investigation of the attack, Natonski said, "I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt" that the gravely wounded Peralta covered the grenade.cite web|accessdate=2008-09-18
url=http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080917/BREAKING/80917075
title=No Medal of Honor for Kaneohe Marine
author=Zoroya, Gregg
work=Honolulu Advertiser
date=September 17, 2008]

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.cite news |accessdate=2008-09-05
url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/10/marine_protest_100408w/
title=Former Marine protests Peralta MoH denial
author=Fuentes, Gidget
date= October 5, 2008 |work=Marine Corps Times] cite web
accessdate=2008-10-05
url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/09/marine_peralta_092808/
title=Honor or insult for a fallen Marine? Marine who smothered grenade deserved Medal of Honor, family says, but he got the Navy Cross
author=Lamothe, Dan |date=September 30, 2008 |work=Marine Corps Times] 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.cite news
accessdate=2008-09-05
url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/09/marine_peralta_navycross_091908/
title=Lawmakers ask Bush to review Peralta award: Seek highest honor for Marine
author=Fuentes, Gidget
date=Sep 23, 2008 |work=Marine Corps Times] cite news
accessdate=2008-10-01
title=More members of Congress ask for Peralta review
author=Cole, William
work=The Honolulu Advertiser
format=Republished in the "Marine Corps Times"
date=October 1, 2008]

Awards and decorations

Honors

On April 24, 2006, William Lansdowne, chief of police for the San Diego Police Department posthumously awarded Sgt. Peralta the honorary title of San Diego police officer for his heroism in Iraq. Peralta had long wanted to be a San Diego police officer. The badge was presented to Rafael's mother, Rosa Peralta.cite journal|accessdate=2008-09-18
url=http://www.miramar.usmc.mil/WebPages/PAO/Documents/2006FJ/April28.pdf
format=PDF
title=San Diego Police Honors Fallen Marine
date=April 28, 2006
journal=Flight Jacket
publisher=Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
volume=8 |issue=17]

On September 21, 2007, the 31st MEU Command Post, building 2533 Camp Hansen, Okinawa, was christened Peralta Hall in his honor. cite web|accessdate=2008-09-28
url=http://www.okinawa.usmc.mil/Public%20Affairs%20Info/Archive%20News%20Pages/2007/071005-peralta.html
title= Hansen building named for 'selfless' Marine
author=Sadaghiani, Cpl. Kamran and Sgt. Ethan E. Rocke
date=October 5, 2007 |work=Okinawa Marine
publisher=United States Marine Corps]

Videos

The History Channel created a one-hour documentary on Sgt Peralta, "Act of Honor", shown on the "THC Classroom".cite web|accessdate=2008-09-18
url=http://www.history.com/shows.do?action=detail&episodeId=242334
title=Act of Honor
work=THC Classroom
publisher=The History Channel] The video is available in both Spanish and English.cite web|accessdate=
url=http://www.historyenespanol.com/espanol/elhonor/aoh_videos.jsp
title=Act of Honor
language=Spanish
publisher=The History Channel]

ee also

*Bradley Kasal, USMC, received Navy Cross for actions during Operation Iraqi Freedom

Notes

References

*cite news
author=Carter, Chelsea J.
url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080918/ap_on_re_us/death_by_grenade
title=Marine praised by Bush won't get Medal of Honor
publisher=Yahoo! News
date=September 18, 2008

*cite web|url=http://hispanicmilitaryheroes.com/cgi-local/PowerShopper.cgi/PublishSubDir/ChapterOne-688.html?L+publish+1165018675+1185772017
title=Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta
work=Hispanic Military Heroes
author=Fernandez, Virgil
year=2006
accessdate=2006-07-12

*cite news|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002096428_hero20.html
title=Marine sacrifices his life for others in grenade blast
work=The Seattle Times
author=Trowbridge, Gordon
date=November 20, 2004
accessdate=2006-07-12

External links

* [http://RafaelPeralta.org RafaelPeralta.org]
*cite web|accessdate=
url=http://www.nationalreview.com/lowry/lowry200501110730.asp
work=National Review
date=January 11, 2005
title=Sgt. Rafael Peralta, American Hero: Everyone should know his name
author=Lowry, Rich
* [http://www.fallenheroesmemorial.com/oif/profiles/peraltarafael.html Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta,] "Fallen Heroes Memorial".
* [http://www.blackfive.net/photos/uncategorized/peralta.jpgPhoto of Sgt. Peralta's grave site]
* [http://www.danzfamily.com/archives/2005/02/sgt_rafael_pera.php Personal Photos of Sgt. Peralta]
*findagrave|9977469 Retrieved on 2008-07-18
* [http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/cems/nchp/ftrosecrans.asp Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery website]

Persondata
NAME= Peralta, Rafael
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Marine recommended for the Medal of Honor for his actions in Iraq
DATE OF BIRTH= April 7, 1979
PLACE OF BIRTH= Mexico City, Mexico
DATE OF DEATH= November 15, 2004
PLACE OF DEATH= Killed in action in Al Anbar, Iraq