Rafael Peralta

Rafael Peralta (7 April 1979 – 15 November 2004), assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, was a United States Marine killed in combat during Second Battle of Fallujah in the city of Fallujah, Iraq. In September 2008 his family was notified that he was awarded the Navy Cross, the second-highest award a U.S. Marine can receive.

2000s

 * Be proud of me, bro...and be proud of being an American.
 * As quoted in "HERO IN FALLUJAH: Marine Laid Himself on Top of Grenade to Save Rest of Squad" (16 December 2004), by Oliver North, Human Events

Quotes about Peralta

 * In his parents' home, on his bedroom walls hung only three items - a copy of the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights and his boot camp graduation certificate... Yes, Virginia, there are still heroes in America, and Sgt. Rafael Peralta was one of them. It’s just too bad the media can’t recognize them.
 * Oliver North, "HERO IN FALLUJAH: Marine Laid Himself on Top of Grenade to Save Rest of Squad" (16 December 2004), Human Events