Hawaii's congressional delegation has joined in the campaign that Kaneohe Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for a smothering a grenade with his body to save squad members during the battle for Fallujah four years ago.

Peralta, 25, assigned to Hawaii's 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, died in Fallujah, Iraq after fellow marines said he covered an enemy grenade, absorbing an explosion that saved their lives on Nov. 15, 2004 during a house-to-house search in some of the fiercest fighting of the war.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has rejected the Medal of Honor application and decided to award the Navy Cross, the nation's second-highest award for valor to Peralta.

Sens. Daniel Inouye, also a Medal of Honor recipient, and Daniel Akaka and Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono wrote a letter last month asking President Bush to review the matter and overturn Gates' recommendation.

Other members of Congress have also asked for a review.

“;It is our understanding,”; the Hawaii Congressional letter said, “;that the review panel could not confirm whether Sgt. Peralta's actions were deliberate, despite the fact that several fellow Marines who were witnesses to the events of that day verify that he knowingly reached out to pull in the grenade and absorbed the full explosion with his body.

“;Clearly, Sgt. Peralta made a deliberate decision to absorb the grenade blast in order to protect the lives of the Marines fighting directly by his side.”;