Bill Text: TX SCR10 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Honoring the heroism and sacrifice of Refugio High School graduate and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Lloyd Herbert "Pete" Hughes Jr.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-05-15 - Signed by the Governor [SCR10 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SCR10-Enrolled.html
S.C.R. No. 10 |
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WHEREAS, Lloyd Herbert Hughes Jr., a graduate of Refugio High | ||
School, demonstrated conspicuous gallantry in the skies over Europe | ||
during World War II, sacrificing his life in defense of his nation | ||
and earning the Congressional Medal of Honor; and | ||
WHEREAS, Born in 1921 in Alexandria, Louisiana, Pete Hughes | ||
attended Refugio High School, where he was both an academic star and | ||
a letterman in several sports; after graduating in 1939, he went on | ||
to study petroleum engineering at Texas A&M University; shortly | ||
following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he answered | ||
his nation's call to duty by enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps, | ||
and he trained as a bomber pilot; and | ||
WHEREAS, Serving with the 564th Bombardment Squadron, 389th | ||
Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, Second Lieutenant Hughes was the | ||
pilot of a B-24 Liberator nicknamed "Ole Kickapoo"; on August 1, | ||
1943, he and his crew took part in Operation Tidal Wave, a daring, | ||
low-level raid on the Axis oil fields in Ploiesti, Romania, | ||
conducted by 170 B-24 bombers; flying last in his formation over a | ||
burning oil refinery that had already been hit, his plane was struck | ||
by enemy antiaircraft fire and began to leak gasoline in two places; | ||
and | ||
WHEREAS, Knowing the consequences of flying his leaking plane | ||
low enough to hit his assigned target, Lieutenant Hughes could have | ||
broken off, but instead, he elected to complete his mission, flying | ||
into the inferno and dropping his bombs on the target; his plane | ||
emerged with its left wing on fire, and Lieutenant Hughes and five | ||
other members of his crew lost their lives while attempting a crash | ||
landing in a riverbed near Câmpina, Romania; two additional crew | ||
members later died of their injuries and two others were captured by | ||
the enemy; and | ||
WHEREAS, In recognition of his sacrifice and his dedication | ||
to duty, Lieutenant Hughes was posthumously awarded the | ||
Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award; | ||
his widow, Hazel Dean Hughes, was presented with the medal in April | ||
1944, and the remains of Lieutenant Hughes were repatriated and | ||
buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio in April | ||
1950; he is the only resident of Refugio ever to earn the Medal of | ||
Honor, and the Lloyd H. "Pete" Hughes Memorial Committee of the | ||
Refugio ISD Education Foundation is leading an effort to recognize | ||
his connection to Refugio by naming a portion of U.S. 77 in his | ||
honor and by installing a memorial at Refugio High School; and | ||
WHEREAS, A proud son of Refugio, Lloyd Herbert Hughes | ||
Jr. paid the ultimate price while fighting for his country during | ||
the most far-reaching conflict in world history, and the citizens | ||
of his hometown, his state, and his nation owe him a debt of | ||
gratitude that the passage of time can never diminish; now, | ||
therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby pay tribute to the heroism of U.S. Army Air Corps Second | ||
Lieutenant Lloyd Herbert Hughes Jr.; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for his family as an expression of high regard by the Texas | ||
House of Representatives and Senate. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 10 was adopted by the Senate | ||
on April 19, 2021. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that S.C.R. No. 10 was adopted by the House | ||
on April 30, 2021. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
Approved: | ||
______________________________ | ||
Date | ||
______________________________ | ||
Governor |