Duncan Hunter: “The war in Iraq has come to a close. And while the Iraq mission is over, countless examples of combat heroism performed…”

“The war in Iraq has come to a close. And while the Iraq mission is over, countless examples of combat heroism performed by our military over nearly a decade of operations are both an inspiration and a reminder of the service and sacrifice of so many marines, sailors, soldiers, and airmen. For Iraq, there have been hundreds of Silver Stars awarded. There have been 21 Navy Crosses and 15 Distinguished Service Crosses. The Nation's highest award for combat valor--the Medal of Honor--was presented on only four occasions. Each was awarded posthumously, three for action that involved smothering a grenade to save others. One marine, Sergeant Rafael Peralta, who was posthumously nominated for the Medal of Honor deserves to be part of this distinguished group of heroes. But he's not. He was denied that honor when his nomination was wrongly downgraded to the Navy Cross. The incident leading to the nomination occurred in 2004 during combat in Fallujah, Iraq. He and several marines entered a room and came into immediate contact with the enemy. A firefight erupted, and Peralta was hit in the back of the head with a fragment of a ricocheted bullet. While Peralta was on the floor, a grenade was thrown and landed within his reach. He scooped up the grenade and pulled it into his body, saving the lives of his fellow marines. Seven marines confirmed his actions. So did the medical evidence.…”