Marine veteran Ricardo Peralta spoke out in defense of his brother’s legacy last night, saying Sgt. Rafael Peralta deserves the Medal of Honor regardless of the Defense Department decision.
Ricardo Peralta, who served a term in the Marine Corps after his brother was killed in Iraq in 2004, appeared on The Kelly File on Fox News in the wake of new accounts in a Washington Post story that allege Peralta never covered a live grenade with his body, as his Medal of Honor package claims. These reports came as Chuck Hagel became the third Secretary of Defense to turn Peralta down for the military’s highest award.
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In the four-minute interview, Ricardo Peralta challenged the new accounts, which were made, he said, by three Marines who could not have seen what happened in his brother’s final moments. Two of them were outside the building; the other sustained shrapnel wounds to his backside.
“There was no was for him to have witnessed this himself when he was turned away,” Ricardo Peralta said.
The Peralta family has countered the Marines’ claims with letters questioning their veracity and challenging the integrity of the reporter who published them.
But at the end of the day, Ricardo Peralta told Kelly, Peralta’s legacy in the eyes of his family remains unchanged.
“We’ll always be proud to the fullest of him,” he said. “Whether they change their minds and give him the medal tomorrow, we’re proud to the fullest.”
6 Comments
Quit haggelin Hagel and give the man his due. He will always be a MOH reciever to this Marine dad. We are all proud of his accomplishments and dedication in life and we will always be no matter what.
mike greenwell
America’s government at it’s finest. What a shame and joke this country has become. Semper Fi Sgt. Peralta hopefully Mexico will give you the highest honor they have for sacrificing your life for America. I know they respect there service members and honor them more than this bullshit country does.
what a bunch of bullshit he paid the price and I find it hard to believe a Marine especially a Sgt wouldn’t take a grenade for one of his brothers
It is difficult for me to believe that the SECDEF does not believe he could have consciously pulled that grenade under him but believed his action were so heroic that he deserves the Navy Cross. Either he did what the write-up says and you give him the MOH, or he didn’t and he gets a Bronze Star with a V or just a Purple Heart. Que Dios te cuide hermano. Estamos contigo. Col USMCR.
Sucks, but if there is any doubt do not award it… That’s the way it’s always been with the MOH.
Why has CMC not publicly commented on this case? Why was Sgt meyer praised so publicly? How can his Marine not have earned the Medal Of Honor by his actions, but receive the Navy Cross?