The lei-draped photographs of five troops killed in Iraq — Lance Corporal Jeffery S. Blanton, Lance Corporal Blake Magaoay, Petty Officer Julian Woods, Lance Corporal Brian Medina and Sergeant Rafael Peralta — were on display during a memorial service at Marine Corps Base Hawaii

Got more news today about Sgt. Rafael Peralta. It’s confirmed via the The Honolulu Advertiser that he was nominated for the Medal Of Honor.

For regimental commander Col. Jeffrey J. Patterson, the sacrifice of nine Marines and one Navy corpsman killed in the battle for Fallujah can best be summed up by words from the Bible.

Yesterday, he quoted John 15:13 at a memorial for his fallen comrades: “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
The 10 warriors, said Patterson, exemplified that sort of love.

“Each of them gave their life for their brothers,” said Patterson, adding that yesterday’s service was the second of its kind in as many months, and a “stark reminder to all of us that freedom isn’t free.”

The men, from the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, were all killed since Nov. 8. They were honored at the special Service of Remembrance at Marine Corps Base Hawai’i in Kane’ohe.

One by one, Patterson praised each man’s commitment, courage and character. Their helmets, rifles and boots were lined up across the stage at the base theater, where the service took place.

There was Sgt. Rafael Peralta — “the old man of the group” at age 25 — an immigrant from Mexico who enlisted before he became a U.S. citizen.
Peralta has been nominated for the Medal of Honor for using his body to smother the blast of an enemy grenade to protect his men.