Honolulu lawmakers join fight for Peralta MoH

[unhappycamper]

Honolulu lawmakers join fight for Peralta MoH
The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Jan 30, 2009 6:21:50 EST

HONOLULU — The Honolulu City Council is fighting for a Hawaii-based Marine killed in Iraq in 2004.

The council on Thursday approved a resolution asking President Barack Obama to reconsider a Department of Defense decision not to award the Medal of Honor to Sgt. Rafael Peralta of San Diego.

Witnesses have described how the mortally wounded Peralta grabbed a grenade and pulled it to his chest to protect fellow troops from the blast.

But a group of five independent experts reviewed the forensic evidence and unanimously found they couldn’t be sure Peralta acted deliberately.

Peralta was denied the Medal of Honor after Defense Secretary Robert Gates recommended he be awarded the Navy Cross.


Article at: http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2009/01/ap_honolulu_lawmakers_peralta_013009/%2e