Special to The Tribune
McALLEN, Texas - The story of Sgt. Rafael Peralta will drive you to tears - some out of total sympathy and most out of sheer anger. Sgt. Peralta, a native of Mexico and a resident of San Diego when he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, was killed in November, 2004 during the Second Battle of Fallujah, Iraq following the U.S. invasion. He was 25 years old.
What followed was a request by Marines who had been in battle with him that he be awarded the Medal of Honor - the nation's highest military award. Peralta, they said, had fallen on a grenade and saved the lives of six or seven members of his squad. His story is well-known in Southern California and among Marines who say medals awarded for valor in Iraq have been slow in coming. The issue is taken up in a story included in this weekend's New York Times Magazine titled, "What Happened to Valor?"
Peralta, who gained citizenship while in the Marines, was buried at the National Cemetery in San Diego with full military honors. And then his mother, Rosa Peralta, was informed her son (shown in photo above) would be recommended for the Medal of Honor.
But a review ordered by Defense Secretary Robert Gates that included autopsy reports by doctors assessing Peralta's wounds eliminated Peralta from the medal, with Gates telling Rosa Peralta that doctors could not verify the Marines' account. Instead, Gates said Sgt. Rafael Peralta would be receiving the Navy Cross, the second-highest American military award given to a Marine.
Rosa Peralta told Gates he could go to Hell.
Her anger: The Navy Cross citation had this written on it: "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."
George Sabga, Rosa Peralta's lawyer and himself a former Marine, said this to the magazine: "I asked the general, 'How can you say that there were doubts and yet you give us a Navy Cross that says that Sgt. Peralta did the exact same thing that the (fellow) Marines say he did?' "
For Rosa Peralta, a chance to bring better closure to her son's death ended in military bureaucracy not open to appeal. Lawyer Sabga nonetheless says he will continue the fight for Peralta's Medal of Honor, that Marines from across the country are coming to Sgt. Peralta's side.
No one disputes that Peralta served the United States with enthusiasm. There are other signs of his patriotism, examples that clearly showed he loved America. Three items hung on his bedroom walls inside his family's home: a copy of the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights and his boot camp graduation certificate. And in the days before he shipped out for Iraq, he wrote this for his 14-year-old brother: "Be proud of me, bro...and be proud of being an American."
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6 comments:
("Be proud of me, bro...and be proud of being an American.")
Not much more than needs to be said. Semper Fi.
Jake.(U.S. Army Veteran)
May he rest in peace and all of the veterans who died, figthing for the cause, a good cause.
Unfourtunally, most U.S.A. young soldiers Join the Military out of necessity. Most Don't even have a High school only a G.E.D. diploma, They are unemployed Minorities and desperate to earn money. 100% of them come from Poor towns with not that much infrastructure, inner city Crime Ridden Neigborhoods and Country / ignorant Boys. Once in , They Realized the Big mistake They have in their hands, most Don't Know how to handle the Great responsability that lies head of them. Once in service, They Will awaken their Naive and innocence look at life; Racism is still very alive and Kicking, and undercovers.
Most of their Commands are Anglo - Saxon - Caucasians Which, constantly intimidate all those "inferior" Collored People, get Minimum Pay and work Hard Hours { 60 / 70 hrs. a week } They will always be so tired to Study. Alcoholism, Infedility and Domestic Violence is rampant at all levels of Ranks, Officers. Suicide rates are very High, even During " Peace Times" among All Ranks of the Military , but never on the prime - time News casts or any Press Media. Inside Riots ; Blacks against White are common, never reported, but We are " FREEDOM FIGHTERS " Of the FREE WORLD. Pregnancy among Female soldiers is also very High, It's a quick resolve to get out of the Military service ( Dishonable discharged ). If Married, You Will Automatically Qualify for any WELFARE assistance ( Food Stamps, housing, WIC Cards, , Etc.) from the lack of Money to pay for Your Bills.
Overseas is Even Worse / harder; besides the MARSHALL LAW : Military's Communists - type of Laws / Gypsy Life style. All Military have to Obey Their Host's country Laws and Most U.S.A. Soldiers Have this arrogance that we OWN them and commit all Kinds of Sick Sexual Pervertions to their Local populations, many times getting Venerial diseases to Them or from Them.
TRUE PATRIOT:...Thanks for that insight. Yes, it would be interesting to find out how many active duty soldiers we have who are not yet citizens. There was a story in the NY Times last year about U.S. military recruiters going to Mexico and Central America carrying the promise of citizenship in exchange for service... - Editor
True patriot, you said it, like it was and the way it is. Thanks for another view.
The true patriot sounds on the verge of fragging himself. Sounds like a veteran who the government refused to grant some freebies to. Not a patriot in my book. A true one or not.
jerez
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