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SACRIFICE Troop cradled grenade to save others
Union Leader ^ | 12/07/04 | TONY PERRY and RICHARD MORRIS, LA Times

Posted on 12/06/2004 11:54:26 PM PST by kattracks

SAN DIEGO — Sgt. Rafael Peralta is dead, but the story of his sacrifice to save fellow Marines will live long in Marine Corps lore.

In the fierce battle for the Iraqi town of Fallujah, Peralta, with gunshot wounds to his head and body, reached out and grabbed a grenade hurled by an insurgent, cradling it to his body to save others from the blast.

The explosion in the back room of a house injured one Marine, but four others managed to scramble to safety.

Peralta, 25, an immigrant from Mexico who enlisted the day he got his green-card work permit, was declared dead en route to a field hospital.

[snip]

“He saved the life of my son and every Marine in that room,” Morrison said in a phone call from Seattle. “I just know one thing: God has a special place in heaven for Sgt. Peralta.”

Similar gratitude was expressed by family members of other Marines in Peralta’s unit who were close to the blast. The unit was Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division.

[snip]

Rafael Peralta had not been assigned to the Nov. 15 attack on Fallujah. Still, he volunteered.

[snip]

In the hours after the battle, Marines spoke quietly of Peralta’s heroism.

“You’re still here, don’t forget that,” Lance Cpl. Richard A. Mason told Kaemmerer. “Tell your kids, your grandkids, what Sgt. Peralta did for you and other Marines today.”


(Excerpt) Read more at theunionleader.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: thelastfullmeasure
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1 posted on 12/06/2004 11:54:26 PM PST by kattracks
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To: kattracks

Semper Fi, Marine.


2 posted on 12/06/2004 11:56:54 PM PST by wingnutx (tanstaafl)
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To: kattracks

May God bless his soul. A truly Christian act of love.


3 posted on 12/06/2004 11:59:03 PM PST by MarMema
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To: kattracks
Semper Fi indeed.

L

4 posted on 12/06/2004 11:59:18 PM PST by Lurker ("I answer to you, 'F*** you-I shall die on my feet.!" Oriana Fallaci)
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To: kattracks
Prayers out for this immigrant hero who gave his life for his comrades, our freedom, and well being.
5 posted on 12/06/2004 11:59:20 PM PST by Pro-Bush (liberal relatives and holidays! ..A good year for Freepers.)
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To: kattracks

Wow, a hero indeed, God Bless his soul.


6 posted on 12/07/2004 12:00:47 AM PST by Citizen Soldier
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To: kattracks

God bless his family and his memory!
So brave and so honorable.
An immigrant, wow!
His parents raised a good man, they should be proud.


7 posted on 12/07/2004 12:02:15 AM PST by myvoice
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To: kattracks

“He saved the life of my son and every Marine in that room,” Morrison said in a phone call from Seattle. “I just know one thing: God has a special place in heaven for Sgt. Peralta.”

no greater love .......


8 posted on 12/07/2004 12:04:09 AM PST by injin
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To: wingnutx
"Peralta, 25, an immigrant from Mexico who enlisted the day he got his green-card work permit"

Near the entrance to the Veterans' Cometary in Houston there is a small new section of graves of KIAs. Disproportionately Hispanic surnames.

It's sad to see the hatred that some feel free to direct at Hispanics on FR.

9 posted on 12/07/2004 12:05:04 AM PST by bayourod (Bush said. "Let's see if I can say it as plainly as I can: I am for the intelligence bill.")
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To: kattracks

God comfort and bless his family, for surely this was a true man, American, and Marine. Today Sgt. Peralta stands guard on his new post the streets of Heaven... with all the rest of America's best.


10 posted on 12/07/2004 12:07:08 AM PST by dandelion (http://thequestionfairy.blogspot.com/)
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To: bayourod
Near the entrance to the Veterans' Cometary in Houston there is a small new section of graves of KIAs. Disproportionately Hispanic surnames.

I hear the exact same thing coming from MECHA and La Voz de Aztlan. How interesting.

11 posted on 12/07/2004 12:13:15 AM PST by Ajnin
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To: Ajnin

In Houston, it is true - how quickly some people forget that many of the first Texicans were "Tejanos" with Hispanic surnames.

We are proud of all our American Marines.


12 posted on 12/07/2004 12:16:41 AM PST by dandelion (http://thequestionfairy.blogspot.com/)
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To: kattracks

Unbelievable act of bravery. May he dwell in peace and beauty forever.


13 posted on 12/07/2004 12:18:42 AM PST by Bandaneira (The Third Temple/House for All Nations/World Peace Centre...Coming Soon...)
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To: Bandaneira

Amen.


14 posted on 12/07/2004 12:22:37 AM PST by kattracks
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To: bayourod
It's sad to see the hatred that some feel free to direct at Hispanics on FR.

Who is directing hatred towards Hispanics?

15 posted on 12/07/2004 12:23:10 AM PST by Ajnin
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To: kattracks

THAT man is a hero.


16 posted on 12/07/2004 12:44:54 AM PST by LibertarianInExile (NO BLOOD FOR CHOCOLATE! Get the UN-ignoring, unilateralist Frogs out of Ivory Coast!)
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To: kattracks

This wonderful man should receive the Medal of Honor!

I'd like to think I could have done what he did for his friends...but I really doubt it...what a brave guy.


17 posted on 12/07/2004 12:49:10 AM PST by Bobalu (This is not the tag line you are looking for.....move along (waves hand))
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To: Ajnin
Oh, go to just about any thread on immigration - legal or not.

It's there for anyone with eyes and half a brain to see. You can see wonderful tidbits like:

The prevailing culture should stay Anglo-Saxon. If that's lost, America will not stay free, I can promise you that. Latinos and Muslims have scarcely heard of the Magna Carta or the Reformation. These are the things Anglo-Saxon culture brings to our history.

Or:

I have nothing against Mexicans or any other non-Anglo ethnic type in America on a personal basis. But I do think our culture is being intentionally shifted from a traditional bedrock of Anglo-Saxon sensibilities toward something entirely different.

And while we haven't seen it rear it's ugly head here, we do get this snide comment:

I hear the exact same thing coming from MECHA and La Voz de Aztlan. How interesting.

What's your agenda?

18 posted on 12/07/2004 2:53:56 AM PST by The Coopster
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To: kattracks
Posted from another source, but worth another read and BTTT:

A Hero's Sacrifice

19 posted on 12/07/2004 3:59:53 AM PST by Maigrey (Your job is to arrest the killers but if you kill them, then so be it. - Minister Allawi)
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To: bayourod

This hero gave his best. Surely he deserves our best.

Why not a place in Arlington??


20 posted on 12/07/2004 4:08:40 AM PST by cooldown3
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