Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

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1	1	H.C.R. No. 5
2	2
3	3
4	4	HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
5	5	WHEREAS, The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor was established
6	6	to honor gallant and intrepid service by a member of the state or
7	7	federal military forces, and through his courageous actions in
8	8	World War II, United States Army Private Pedro Cano distinguished
9	9	himself as a worthy recipient of this prestigious award; and
10	10	WHEREAS, Born to Nicholasa Gonzalez Cano and Secundino Cano
11	11	on July 7, 1920, in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, Pedro Cano moved with his
12	12	family to Texas as an infant and spent the rest of his life, except
13	13	for his time in the army, in the Rio Grande Valley; and
14	14	WHEREAS, After joining the armed forces during World War II,
15	15	Private Cano was deployed to Europe, where he fought with the 4th
16	16	Infantry Division; in December 1944, he was advancing with his
17	17	company near Schevenhutte, Germany, when they came under withering
18	18	fire from German machine guns; with his comrades pinned down,
19	19	Private Cano worked his way forward alone, through a hail of fire
20	20	and over more than 100 yards of heavily mined terrain, until he was
21	21	within 30 feet of the nearest German emplacement; firing one round
22	22	with his hand-held rocket launcher, he destroyed the position and
23	23	killed its two gunners and five supporting riflemen; he then moved
24	24	on toward a second emplacement, which he attacked with his rifle and
25	25	hand grenades, killing several more soldiers; and
26	26	WHEREAS, With another American company nearby similarly
27	27	immobilized, Private Cano crept to within 15 yards of a third
28	28	emplacement, killed its two gunners with a rocket, and then
29	29	destroyed yet another emplacement and killed its gunners, enabling
30	30	that company to also advance; and
31	31	WHEREAS, The next day, the Americans once more encountered
32	32	heavy German resistance, and Private Cano again moved forward alone
33	33	with his bazooka; crossing open, fire-swept ground, he succeeded in
34	34	suppressing three more machine-gun positions and killing their
35	35	gunners, bringing to nearly 30 the number of German soldiers he
36	36	killed during that two-day period; and
37	37	WHEREAS, Sometime later, while on patrol, Private Cano and
38	38	his platoon were surprised by German soldiers, who inflicted heavy
39	39	casualties; Private Cano lay motionless on the ground until the
40	40	assailants closed in, then tossed a grenade into their midst,
41	41	wounding or killing all of them; and
42	42	WHEREAS, It was in this engagement, or shortly afterward,
43	43	that Pedro Cano sustained injuries that left him permanently
44	44	disabled; in addition to a Purple Heart, he was awarded two Silver
45	45	Stars and a Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's
46	46	second-highest award for valor; of the more than 16,100,000
47	47	individuals who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II,
48	48	only 5,059 were recognized with the DSC; and
49	49	WHEREAS, Mr. Cano's most illustrious medal arrived at his
50	50	home near Edinburg in the mail, prompting area citizens to plan a
51	51	formal ceremony, complete with numerous other festivities; on April
52	52	26, 1946, Pedro Cano Day, some 4,000 local residents turned out to
53	53	witness General Jonathan M. Wainwright present the medal to the
54	54	former private; also present on the dais were other high-ranking
55	55	American and Mexican military officers, as well as civil officials
56	56	and several other Rio Grande Valley military heroes; in his
57	57	remarks, General Wainwright declared that he believed Pedro Cano
58	58	actually deserved the highest recognition of all, the Medal of
59	59	Honor; and
60	60	WHEREAS, In May 1946, Mr. Cano realized a longtime aspiration
61	61	when he received his American citizenship; six years later, on June
62	62	24, 1952, he was killed in a traffic accident; survived by his wife,
63	63	Herminia Garza Cano, his daughters, Dominga and Maria, and his son,
64	64	Susano, Pedro Cano was buried with military honors in Edinburg,
65	65	where today a street and an elementary school both bear his name;
66	66	and
67	67	WHEREAS, Pedro Cano repeatedly risked his life to save the
68	68	lives of his fellow soldiers and to help advance their mission, and
69	69	for his extraordinary heroism he is most assuredly deserving of
70	70	this state's supreme military award; now, therefore, be it
71	71	RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
72	72	hereby posthumously confer the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor on
73	73	Pedro Cano in recognition of his courageous actions in World War II
74	74	and express to his family its deepest appreciation on behalf of all
75	75	his fellow Texans; and, be it further
76	76	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
77	77	prepared for Mr. Cano's family as an expression of highest regard by
78	78	the Texas House of Representatives and Senate.
79	79	Pea
80	80	Vaught
81	81	Turner of Tarrant
82	82	Maldonado
83	83	Farias
84	84	Anderson
85	85	______________________________ ______________________________
86	86	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
87	87	I certify that H.C.R. No. 5 was adopted by the House on May 7,
88	88	2009, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not
89	89	voting.
90	90	______________________________
91	91	Chief Clerk of the House
92	92	I certify that H.C.R. No. 5 was adopted by the Senate on May
93	93	27, 2009, by a viva-voce vote.
94	94	______________________________
95	95	Secretary of the Senate
96	96	APPROVED: __________________
97	97	Date
98	98	__________________
99	99	Governor