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Current Events => Breaking News => Topic started by: TheSarge on September 18, 2008, 10:35:46 PM

Title: Mother of Marine Who Fell on Enemy Grenade to Make Son's Case for Medal of Honor
Post by: TheSarge on September 18, 2008, 10:35:46 PM

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. —  The mother of a Marine who witnesses say covered a grenade with his body to save comrades in Iraq plans to appeal to Congress to award her son the nation's highest military honor after learning it was denied by Defense Secretary Robert Gates because of questions about his final act.

Rosa Peralta said Thursday she made the decision after a Marine general told her that her son, Sgt. Rafael Peralta, would be awarded the Navy Cross rather than the Medal of Honor because the nomination was tainted by reports he was accidentally shot by a fellow Marine shortly before an insurgent lobbed the grenade.

"I'm going to see what can be done, because I'm not satisfied with what they want to do now," she said in Spanish.

President Bush singled out the Marine's actions in a 2005 Memorial Day speech, saying Peralta "understood that America faces dangerous enemies, and he knew the sacrifices required to defeat them."

"The president spoke of him. So how is this now possible that they do this," Rosa Peralta said.

She said she was considering rejecting the Navy Cross, the second-highest award for valor in combat that can be awarded to a Marine. Peralta will be the 24th recipient of the Navy Cross for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,425143,00.html

Title: Re: Mother of Marine Who Fell on Enemy Grenade to Make Son's Case for Medal of Honor
Post by: BlueStateSaint on September 19, 2008, 04:07:15 AM

I saw the Fox News article.  Sorry, Mr. Gates, but no one has a "reflex action" that involves something as complex as pulling a grenade under one's body. 

Sergeant Peralta deserves The Medal. :saluteusmc:

Title: Re: Mother of Marine Who Fell on Enemy Grenade to Make Son's Case for Medal of Honor
Post by: Jim on September 19, 2008, 09:37:50 PM

Seems like a no brainer.

Title: Re: Mother of Marine Who Fell on Enemy Grenade to Make Son's Case for Medal of Honor
Post by: DumbAss Tanker on September 20, 2008, 12:56:39 PM

I don't know what Gates is smoking, but stiffing a DEAD GUY on a posthumous medal is not sound thinking.

Title: Re: Mother of Marine Who Fell on Enemy Grenade to Make Son's Case for Medal of H
Post by: thundley4 on September 20, 2008, 05:54:10 PM

Quote

the nomination was tainted by reports he was accidentally shot by a fellow Marine shortly before an insurgent lobbed the grenade.

Can anyone explain why this is a factor?  Was he mortally wounded by being shot  or what?  Regardless, he gave his life to save his friends.

Title: Re: Mother of Marine Who Fell on Enemy Grenade to Make Son's Case for Medal of H
Post by: BlueStateSaint on September 21, 2008, 05:02:32 AM

Quote from: thundley4 on September 20, 2008, 05:54:10 PM

Quote

the nomination was tainted by reports he was accidentally shot by a fellow Marine shortly before an insurgent lobbed the grenade.

Can anyone explain why this is a factor?  Was he mortally wounded by being shot  or what?  Regardless, he gave his life to save his friends.

From what I can gather, he was supposedly shot in the head, and the Pentagon is saying that that happened before the grenade.  But, I saw the interview one of the Marines that was there, and he said that he saw the incident happen, saw Sgt. Peralta reach out and tuck the grenade under him to shield his fellow Marines, and that Sgt. Peralta deserves the Medal.

Title: Re: Mother of Marine Who Fell on Enemy Grenade to Make Son's Case for Medal of Honor
Post by: mamacags on September 21, 2008, 07:47:15 AM

The world needs more true heroes like him!  To deny him the MOH is a travesty!