We are pleased the new session of Congress will get a chance to right a wrong done to a fallen local Marine.

And we offer our full support to efforts by our congressmen to ensure that the late Sgt. Rafael Peralta of San Diego is posthumously awarded the nation's top citation for combat valor, the Medal of Honor.

In September, we wrote to urge that President Bush overrule a wrong-headed, bureaucratic move to award Peralta a lesser (though still distinguished) honor. As we said then, it took the Pentagon four years to make the wrong decision.

Peralta was nominated for the Medal of Honor for his actions in house-to-house fighting in Fallujah, Iraq, on Nov. 15, 2004. After he was wounded by friendly fire in a fierce battle, he pulled an enemy grenade under his body, giving up his life in order to save the lives of two fellow Marines.

His nomination has the support of those whose lives he saved, as well as of Marine Lt. Gen. Richard Natonski (at the time, his unit's commander and head of Camp Pendleton's 1st Marine Division) and numerous others. Yet an anonymous Pentagon panel ruled otherwise, and opted to award him the Navy Cross, an honor Peralta's family rejected.

But this week, area U.S. Reps. Darrell Issa, Brian Bilbray and Duncan D. Hunter told staff writer Mark Walker they have not given up on efforts to award Peralta the Medal of Honor and will continue that work within the new congressional session that began Tuesday.

Hunter said the main issue seems to be whether to appeal the decision to the Obama administration or seek a congressional review of the Pentagon panel's process.

Whichever direction Congress opts for, we believe all those who care about honoring the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform should support these efforts.

This is one issue on which we truly believe the region should stand united.

Additional material:

MILITARY: Lawmakers not giving up on Marine denied Medal of Honor

MILITARY: Pentagon reaffirms denial of highest medal to Marine

EDITORIAL: President must overrule medal decision