87R8885 JGH-D
 
  By: Kolkhorst S.C.R. No. 10
 
 
 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
         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.