Medal of Honor

President Bush Denied Sgt Rafael Peralta the Congressional Medal of Honor. This is the United States most prestigious medal.

The Medal of Honor, established by joint resolution of Congress, 12 July 1862 (amended by Act of 9 July 1918 and Act of 25 July 1963) is awarded in the name of Congress to a person who, while a member of the Armed Services, distinguishes himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against any enemy of The United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which The United States is not a belligerent party. The deed performed must have been one of personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his comrades and must have involved risk of life. Incontestable proof of the performance of service is exacted and each recommendation for award of this decoration is considered on the standard of extraordinary merit. Full-text Listings of Medal of Honor Citations The President, in the name of Congress, has awarded more than 3,400 Medals of Honor to our nation's bravest Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen since the decoration's creation in 1861.

 

Reviews, committees, investigations, what a disgrace. The man died for his county and saved others lives in the process. I don't understand how he could possibly be denied the metal.

 

"Evidence scrutinized
The initial recommendation that he receive the Medal of Honor went through reviews by the Marine Corps, U.S. Central Command, the Department of the Navy and, ultimately, Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

After all the evidence was scrutinized, officials determined the nomination did not meet the standard necessary to support the Medal of Honor, said Capt. Beci Brenton, spokeswoman for Navy Secretary Donald Winter.

Defense Department officials have said that because there was some contradictory evidence, Gates took the extra step of asking for a review by a panel consisting of a former commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, a Medal of Honor recipient, a civilian neurosurgeon who is retired from the military and two forensic pathologists who also are military retirees.

The panel recommended against the Medal of Honor, and Gates made the decision this month, officials said.

Peralta, 25, was assigned to Hawaii's 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. He had moved to San Diego from Tijuana as a teenager."


I'd say they probably know a lot more about what actually happened than I do. Sounds like there was some reason it wasn't clear cut.

 

The Congressional Medal of honor it's not an American Idol award. Although we appreciate the sacrifices many of our troops have made (I for one lost an uncle in Vietnam and have right now 3 nephews, two in Irac and one with a purple heart in Afghanistan) if the criteria is not met or If there is a hint of controversy or conflicting information, the committee is not going to award it. Hopefully everything can be clarified and the kid is awarded the medal.

 

to get the nations highest honor you must go through the nation's most rigorous approval proccess I am sure.


There must be more to the story to warrant the subsequent denial

 

that it's not an American Idol competition. The man sacrificed his life, for the good of the others, by throwing his body onto a grenade.

How is that different from this: Navy Seal throws body on Grenade. Receives Medal of Honor

Monsoor, a 25 year-old machine gunner with SEAL Team 3, was providing security at a sniper lookout post on Sept. 29, 2006 in Ramadi when a grenade hit his chest and bounced to the floor. With only a moment to act, Monsoor threw himself onto the grenade, shielding three other SEALs and three Iraqi Army soldiers from the resulting blast.

 

we dont know what the difference is. that is the point I am making

we dont know the mitigating circumstances around his denial of the medal.

Conflicting reports
uncorraboratted events

who knows

there are millions of heros in the armend forces, they can't all get the medal of honor. for every medal that gets handed out, hundreds if not thousands of nominees get overlooked or denied recognition.

I am honored and humbled by his act of bavery but if there is another more deserving candidate it is not for me to decide or be upset about.

Honor his sacrifice by keeping up your dilligence and by not being distracted by ultimately petty things like whether he gets an award or not. I am sure if you were able to ask him, he would tell you that getting the medal (or not getting it) is/was the furthest thing from his mind when he made his decision to act.

 

As with many Marines in WWII, many Marines recieved the Medal of Honor posthumosly after throwing themselves on a grenade to protect US forces in combat.

The scruntinzed evidence is that Sgt Peralta was accidently shot by friedly fire. I read that in the MSN news page yesterday. Based on that evidence he is not being issued the Medal of Honor.

Now keep this in mind. There are reciepients that have taken years to be bestowed this Medal. They have receivved the Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or the Air Force Cross. They were upgraded later as more evidence was collected. So this may take more time in Sgt Perlata's case.

Another Marine received the Medal of Honor a while back after he used his kevlar helmet to cover the grenade. He survived briefly before succumbing to his wounds later.

 

who can say what all it takes to warrent a Medal of Honor.... i'm sure many men an women who have performed service above an beyond deserve one...

I too am honored an humbled by the men an women who serve and proud to have served with them...

it took over 50 years for the French Government to award a couple medals to my father for actions in combat during WW2... he recieved the Croix de Guerre and the L