U.S. Marine Sgt. Rafael Peralta's sacrifice for the nation was honored on Saturday when the Navy named their newest guided-missile destroyer after fallen hero.

According to an official statement issued by the U.S. Department of Defense, Marine Corps Sgt. Peralta was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for actions displayed during combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Peralta saved the lives of fellow Marines during the second battle of Fallujah in 2004 after using his body to shield them from a grenade.

The christening of the USS Rafael Peralta is a significant event for Latinos in the military, as Peralta is thought to be the first serviceman born in Mexico to have a naval warship named after him.

Prior to the christening of the USS Rafael Peralta, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus praised the efforts of the men and women of the General Dynamics Bath Iron Works team who were responsible for building the 9,200 ton ship.

"Their work will ensure that the heroism, service and sacrifice of Marine Corps Sergeant Rafael Peralta will be honored and remembered by all who come in contact with DDG 115 long after this great warship is christened," he said.

The Associated Press reports hundreds of people came out to watch the christening of the new Navy destroyer.

Rosa Peralta, the mother of the fallen Marine being honored, spoke in English and Spanish about her son, and asked God to bless the ship named for him.

Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine Corps commandant, spoke of Peralta’s commitment to the U.S. and the price he paid for his love of country.

“He believed more about the goodness of America than most Americans, to the point of fighting and sacrificing everything for what America stands for,” Gen. Neller said.

Peralta came to the U.S. from Mexico City as a boy. According to Navy officials, he enlisted in the Marines on the very same day he earned his green card.

Watch part of the ceremony reported by WMTW: