Navy Ship Launched at Bath

Honors U.S. Marine

USS Rafael Peralta (DDG115) Destroyer at the October 31, 2015 launching ceremony at the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. The $679 million Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is named after the US Marine, who received the Navy Cross for service in Iraq in which he lost his life. Ron Reeves photo

The USS Rafael Peralta was launched on October 31, 2015 at the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine. The DDL-115 Destroyer is named after US Marine Rafael Peralta (1979-2004) who was killed in the Second Battle of Fallujah, Iraq. His younger brother has said Rafael wanted to be a Marine for as long as he could remember. After high school Peralta joined the Marines immediately after getting a green card and trained as an infantry rifleman.

Rafael Peralta was born in Mexico City, as were his two sisters and both parents. They and their parents came to the United States when he was a child. Rafael became a United States citizen while serving in the U.S. Marines. His younger brother Ricardo, who is the only family member born in the United States, told reporters that his brother Rafael said that for him there was no greater honor than to be a US Marine and fight for his country.

Peralta was on patrol in Falluja clearing houses with other marines. He was first to enter a house where he was hit by AK-47 fire and seriously wounded. His fellow marines returned fire but could not exit. The enemy combatants threw a grenade that landed on the floor near Peralta. He was able to grasp the grenade and roll over on it. The explosion killed Peralta and spared his fellow marines. He was 25 years old.