The Medal
Congressional Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor Society, comprised of the most exclusive group of American heroes, describes the Medal as:
The Medal of Honor is the United States’ highest award for military valor in action. And while over 150 years have passed since its inception, the meaning behind the Medal has never tarnished. Etched within are the very values that each Recipient displayed in the moments that mattered—bravery, courage, sacrifice, integrity. A deep love of country and a desire to always do what is right.
Initially, Pete Hughes was awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), as were all his crew. Pete’s DSC was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor.
Capt. Phil Ardery, who witnessed Pete Hughes’ amazing acts of heroism, advocated that Pete be recognized with the Medal of Honor shortly after Operation Tidal Wave. Reflecting on Pete’s heroism in a 1992 letter, Ret. Maj. Gen. Ardery writes in the pertinent part:
I wrote him [Pete] up for a Congressional Medal of Honor only to have the Group Commander turn it back. But some AP reporters found out about it and some days later the Group C.O. called me in to say that the 9th Bomber Command had found out about Pete and ordered the ciation put through. Pete was truly an authentic hero.
– Ret. Maj. Gen. Phil Ardery
The Medal of Honor was presented to Pete Hughes’ widow, Hazel, by Lt. Gen. Barton Yount at Kelly Field, San Antonio, on April 18, 1944.
Medal Returns Home to Texas
After years of not knowing where the Medal had been kept, Pete’s descendants located the Medal. It was briefly displayed at the Refugio County Museum in Refugio.
During his work on “Texas Aggie Medals of Honor,” Col. James Woodall persisted in tracking down the surviving family members of Aggie Medals of Honor and their Medals. Col. Woodall connected with the Jordan family and arranged to have Pete’s Medal loaned to Texas A&M University for display.
Today, Pete Hughes’ Medal of Honor is displayed at the Sanders Corps of Cadets Center Museum on the campus of Texas A&M University where all seven former Aggie Cadets and Aggie Medal of Honor recipients are honored.
