Lloyd Herbert Hughes

LLOYD HERBERT HUGHES (1921 ~ 1943). Medal of Honor Recipient Lloyd H. Hughes was born on July 12, 1921, in Alexandria, Louisiana, and grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. After attending Corpus Christi Junior College he attended the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (Texas A&M University) before entering military service in January 1942.

He trained as an aviation cadet at Tulsa and Enid, Oklahoma, and received his pilot's wings at Lubbock, Texas, on November 10, 1942. Hughes went to North Africa with the 389th Bombardment Group in June 1943, and took part in five missions over Italy and Romania.

While a Second Lieutenant, Hughes took part in the now famous raid on oil refineries in Ploesti, Romania, on August 1, 1943. Departing from Africa, the mission consisted of a low altitude surprise attack, however, when the planes arrived at their targets, the element of surprise had been lost. Hughes, whose plane was in the final wave of the attack, faced an enemy well aware of and prepared for the incoming American bombers. His plane received several direct hits, causing gasoline to spray from his plane in route to his target. Despite the leaking gasoline, Hughes flew his plane directly into the flames of the burning oil tanks to ensure that he hit his target, which he successfully destroyed. Only after eliminating his target did Hughes consider his own safety, but his plane was consumed by flames before he could attempt a forced landing. For placing the success of the mission above his own safety, Hughes was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Four other pilots were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions at Ploesti. Hughes' medal was presented to his wife Hazel Hughes at Kelly Field, San Antonio, on April 19, 1944.

A residence hall at Williams Air Force Base in Arizona and a dormitory at Texas A&M University are both named in his honor. Hughes is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.

Bibliography: "2nd Lt. Lloyd 'Pete' Herbert Hughes," http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~rajordan/Hughes,LloydHerbert.html, October 18, 2005; "Above and Beyond: The Medal of Honor in Texas." Capitol Visitors Center, State Preservation Board of Texas; Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Association, University of Texas, http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles, September 26, 2005; Texas A&M University, Residence Life, http://reslife.tamu.edu/housing/halls/hughes/default.asp, October 10, 2005; USAF Museum, http://wpafb.af.mil/museum/history/wwii/ce9.htm, October 17, 2005; WW2 Allied Aviation Federation, http://www.ww2aaf.org/briefing/ce15.htm, October 17, 2005. Corpus Christi Caller-Times, April 19, 1944.

Note - The date on which Hughes' widow was given his Medal of Honor was provided by a Hughes' family relative.