Marine sacrifices his life for others in grenade blast

Died in the service of his country and his fellow man. A true american , an example who we must all look to emulate if we can!
BTW how many of think you could do a thing like that ?
I know I can't!
GOD BLESS HIS SOUL! AMEN!

Looks like suicide to me, if he had enough time to pick up a grenade and hold it into his body, he had enough time to throw or kick it back where it came from.

Originally posted by Flyer
Looks like suicide to me, if he had enough time to pick up a grenade and hold it into his body, he had enough time to throw or kick it back where it came from.

That was cheep, so where do you throw it in a room, with your buddies and more buddies outside the room? You only have 2 seconds!

That was pure and simple a cheap shot. I would like you to have to tell that to his family, then after you pick up what is left of your teeth, you can then apologize.

Let the detractors speak without comment. They reveal plenty enough about their character without help from us. There are plenty of ways to commit suicide in combat without waiting for someone to toss a grenade in your midst. Of course, those who have never been in combat would fail to realize that.



[edit on 04/11/25 by GradyPhilpott]

Originally posted by Flyer
Looks like suicide to me, if he had enough time to pick up a grenade and hold it into his body, he had enough time to throw or kick it back where it came from.

Sad that you dismiss a persons sacrifice with such frivolity!
Would you have said the same thing if your brother , mother , father were there in the same room as he was? I think not!
I don't think his sacrifice was in vain and neither should and decent person!

Well it had to come from somewhere, throw it back where it came from. Obviously there wouldnt be any US troops there or the grenade couldnt have been thrown.

What did George Patton say about poor dumb bastards dying for their country ?

A Soldiers Dream

I dreamed kind Jesus fouled the big-gun gears;
And caused a permanent stoppage in all bolts;
And buckled with a smile Mausers and Colts;
And rusted every bayonet with His tears.


And there were no more bombs, of ours or Theirs,
Not even an old flint-lock, not even a pikel.
But God was vexed, and gave all power to Michael;
And when I woke he'd seen to our repairs.

Wilfred Owen

God bless Sgt, from one Soldier to another


[edit on 25-11-2004 by Janus]

Extreme conditions bring out extreme reactions.

War usually brings out the worst and the best from the ones involved, and this was, apparently, one of those cases when the best that a human being can do was really done.

I salute this brave Marine and all the other hero's that have died in the service to their country. I'm not for this war, but I will always support our troops they need our thoughts and prayers. And I know all the other vets out here also salute their brave service to America. Without them we would not be here. This Marine and all the others like him, is what made this country be what it is. Free!

May Great Spirit watch over them and protect them and bring them home soon.

Today (Thanksgiving), I am no longer thankfull for the things I have and the great friends and family I am spending time with today. This Thanksgiving I am thankfull for American soldiers like Peralta who do the things they do so I can have a family and friends.

I solute Peralta and his peers and thier families for doing what they do,

THANK YOU!!!

Hmmm. Personally, i dont believe this soldier died for his friends. I reackon he just couldn't take it any more so decided that was the best way to end his life.

Obviouslly you people living in a dream will take offense to this comment but i can't understand why this would be any less likely than him sacraficing his own life for his friends. He is now dead.... we do not know why he did it.

Originally posted by GeniusSage
Hmmm. Personally, i dont believe this soldier died for his friends. I reackon he just couldn't take it any more so decided that was the best way to end his life.

You do not know anything about marines and camaraderie do you?

I didn't think so and your statement is very selfish.

Originally posted by GeniusSage
How is that any less likely than him doing it to save the other soldiers?

Becuase he could releive not wanting to fight anymore in numerous other and less destructive ways, whereas at that moment the only way he could save the other guys stuck in that room was to jump on it. And, also, keep in mind, if he hadn't, he'd also be dead anyway.

disposible hero
i got hit in the process but if it had of been the girl it would have been a lot worse.

Wow, kudos man.

wecomeinpeace
I am honoring this selfless man by highlighting the POINTLESSNESS of his death

He died to protect his comrades, hardly pointless. Even if the war itself was pointless, that doesn't make his efforts pointless.

flyer
Looks like suicide to me

Absurd. He saw a grenade, saw that everyone was stuck in the room, knew what was going to happen, and jumped on it. To say that its suicide is senseless. If he was suicidal then he'd've had many other oppurtunities to do himself in over there. If he picked it up and went to throw it and it went off, then he'd be dead and so would everyone else. He knew he was going to die, and his training would've let him know that there wasn't much else he could do to help everyone else. Maybe in TV and film the hero throws the grenade back, but if it were that simple then grenades wouldn't even be used no? They'd almost allways be thrown back.

GeniusSage
Personally, i dont believe this soldier died for his friends.

Again, if he just wanted to kill himself, he could've just stood there. If he wasn't concerned about the other guys, saw the grenade and thought, 'uck it, whats the point life sucks' he wouldn't've done anything, and he and the rest would be dead. And if he was acutally suicidal, then he'd been able to find lots of ways to get himself killed. His actions only have one sensible cause, he jumped on this grenade and in doing so prevented it from killing his comrades. I mean, the guy walks around with a machine gun and grenades, he didn't need someone else to throw one at him and everyoen else in order to die. Proposing that the only reason he could've died this way is entirely and needlessly cynical. We don't know what he was thinking, we do know what results his action had, and those results weren't complex or unobvious. See a grenade, know its going to blow, jump on it save the other guys, duck and maybe survive. Jumping on it to commit suicide makes the least sense of any possibility.

Originally posted by edsinger


You do not know anything about marines and camaraderie do you?

And you know nothing, ed, about anything except death for the flag and for the cause
The cause is that of the dominant world view
The flag is its symbol
The only way forward is killing, destruction and control
And you're right for it, aren't you ed?
Ever had the feeling you're duped?

Originally posted by dh
And you know nothing, ed, about anything except death for the flag and for the cause
The cause is that of the dominant world view
The flag is its symbol
The only way forward is killing, destruction and control
And you're right for it, aren't you ed?
Ever had the feeling you're duped?

The only time I think of someone being duped is when I see the likes of post such as yours, people claiming such great insight that probably cant even change a tire. No clue as to the world around them other than what they gather at the local starbucks talking to naive people of likewise brainpower. Government conspiracies abound yet take no action to either prove the bull# they spout or change the outcome. Just sit in their chair with cheetos.....

You think you are so smart , yet in reality you are just as as the rest of people like you...

You represent the elitist class don't you?

[edit on 25-11-2004 by edsinger]

I salute Sgt. Peralta. It's really sad that the bravest ususally don't make it home. I'm not going to rant about how we shouldn't be there, what matters is Sgt. Peralta gave his life for his fellow man. Hero's like him deserve the best after death.

Originally posted by wecomeinpeace
Well, I'm gonna be the first to say it. I'm gonna get flamed but I don't care. The pro-war crowd just lap this stuff up. What a f****** shame that this brave soul had to sacrifice his life for such an unjustified cause.

I wonder how many barrels of oil Rafael's life bought. I wonder if Rumsfield will shed a tear when he reads the story. I wonder if as Sgt. Peralta died, he was wondering where the hell those mystical WMDs were, or where the evidence to support Iraq-Al-Qaeda connections were. I wonder if that was an American-made grenade that killed him.

There are those who will say, "How dare you disrespect his death and his brave act of sacrifice by turning this into a political issue!" Well, it's NOT a political issue; it's a HUMANITARIAN issue. I am honoring this selfless man by highlighting the POINTLESSNESS of his death, and the hypocrisy of those who send men like him to their deaths for NOTHING. If it weren't for this pointless, useless, unjustified CONQUEST, Sgt. Rafael Peralta would be home with his family laughing and playing Nintendo.

May his soul rest in peace.

damn shame you can't even take off the partisan blinders - even for a second - to pay this man the respect he deserves

I'm betting your grandparents condemned WW2 and lived to reap the benefits of those who died for their freedom...and unfortunately, that freedom breeds pieces of sh** like you

now get back to bettin the "don't pass" line at the craps table

Originally posted by edsinger
You represent the elitist class don't you?

[edit on 25-11-2004 by edsinger]

Nope - I feel downtrodden by the belligerent elitist-supporting class, like you ed, who've got to go along with the propaganda, to prove yourself the man

Originally posted by dhNope - I feel downtrodden by the belligerent elitist-supporting class, like you ed, who've got to go along with the propaganda, to prove yourself the man

I don't have to prove # and I am not a rich elitist asshole either.

So what the crap do you call what you believe? Propaganda? No I call it elitism and you are one of them. You think you know what is best and if people like you were in power we would be speaking German or Japanese by now.