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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor was established |
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to honor gallant and intrepid service by a member of the state or |
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federal military forces, and through his courageous actions in |
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World War II, United States Army Private Pedro Cano distinguished |
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himself as a worthy recipient of this prestigious award; and |
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WHEREAS, Born to Nicholasa Gonzalez Cano and Secundino Cano |
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on July 7, 1920, in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Pedro Cano moved with his |
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family to Texas as an infant and spent the rest of his life, except |
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for his time in the army, in the Rio Grande Valley; and |
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WHEREAS, After joining the armed forces during World War II, |
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Private Cano was deployed to Europe, where he fought with the 4th |
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Infantry Division; in December 1944, he was advancing with his |
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company near Schevenhutte, Germany, when they came under withering |
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fire from German machine guns; with his comrades pinned down, |
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Private Cano worked his way forward alone, through a hail of fire |
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and over more than 100 yards of heavily mined terrain, until he was |
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within 30 feet of the nearest German emplacement; firing one round |
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with his hand-held rocket launcher, he destroyed the position and |
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killed its two gunners and five supporting riflemen; he then moved |
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on toward a second emplacement, which he attacked with his rifle and |
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hand grenades, killing several more soldiers; and |
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WHEREAS, With another American company nearby similarly |
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immobilized, Private Cano crept to within 15 yards of a third |
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emplacement, killed its two gunners with a rocket, and then |
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destroyed yet another emplacement and killed its gunners, enabling |
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that company to also advance; and |
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WHEREAS, The next day, the Americans once more encountered |
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heavy German resistance, and Private Cano again moved forward alone |
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with his bazooka; crossing open, fire-swept ground, he succeeded in |
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suppressing three more machine-gun positions and killing their |
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gunners, bringing to nearly 30 the number of German soldiers he |
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killed during that two-day period; and |
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WHEREAS, Sometime later, while on patrol, Private Cano and |
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his platoon were surprised by German soldiers, who inflicted heavy |
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casualties; Private Cano lay motionless on the ground until the |
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assailants closed in, then tossed a grenade into their midst, |
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wounding or killing all of them; and |
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WHEREAS, It was in this engagement, or shortly afterward, |
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that Pedro Cano sustained injuries that left him permanently |
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disabled; in addition to a Purple Heart, he was awarded two Silver |
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Stars and a Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's |
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second-highest award for valor; of the more than 16,100,000 |
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individuals who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II, |
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only 5,059 were recognized with the DSC; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Cano's most illustrious medal arrived at his |
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home near Edinburg in the mail, prompting area citizens to plan a |
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formal ceremony, complete with numerous other festivities; on April |
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26, 1946, Pedro Cano Day, some 4,000 local residents turned out to |
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witness General Jonathan M. Wainwright present the medal to the |
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former private; also present on the dais were other high-ranking |
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American and Mexican military officers, as well as civil officials |
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and several other Rio Grande Valley military heroes; in his |
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remarks, General Wainwright declared that he believed Pedro Cano |
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actually deserved the highest recognition of all, the Medal of |
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Honor; and |
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WHEREAS, In May 1946, Mr. Cano realized a longtime aspiration |
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when he received his American citizenship; six years later, on June |
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24, 1952, he was killed in a traffic accident; survived by his wife, |
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Herminia Garza Cano, his daughters, Dominga and Maria, and his son, |
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Susano, Pedro Cano was buried with military honors in Edinburg, |
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where today a street and an elementary school both bear his name; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Pedro Cano repeatedly risked his life to save the |
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lives of his fellow soldiers and to help advance their mission, and |
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for his extraordinary heroism he is most assuredly deserving of |
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this state's supreme military award; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby posthumously confer the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor on |
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Pedro Cano in recognition of his courageous actions in World War II |
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and express to his family its deepest appreciation on behalf of all |
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his fellow Texans; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Cano's family as an expression of highest regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives and Senate. |
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Peña |
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Vaught |
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Turner of Tarrant |
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Maldonado |
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Farias |
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Anderson |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 5 was adopted by the House on May 7, |
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2009, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 5 was adopted by the Senate on May |
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27, 2009, by a viva-voce vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |