State Rep. Stan Kitzman has submitted Master Sgt. Mike C. Pena of Newgulf, in Wharton County, for the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor during the 88th Texas legislative session. This prestigious award is the highest military commendation that can be conferred to a service member of the U.S. Armed Forces from Texas.
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State Rep. Stan Kitzman has submitted Master Sgt. Mike C. Pena of Newgulf, in Wharton County, for the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor during the 88th Texas legislative session. This prestigious award is the highest military commendation that can be conferred to a service member of the U.S. Armed Forces from Texas. Kitzman represents District 85, which covers a portion of Fort Bend County as well as Waller County and includes the Brookshire area.
The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor Committee selected Pena in May in recognition of his valiant and heroic services during the Korean War. Gov. Greg Abbott will bestow the award upon Pena’s family in a ceremony to be held in the coming months.
On Sept. 4, 1950, during the Battle of Tabu-dong, near Waegwan, Korea, Pena and his platoon were posted in a defensive position when a North Korean Army battalion emerged only yards away, having advanced under the shroud of darkness. The platoon engaged and opened fire but was caught off-guard by the attack and forced to withdraw. Pena swiftly rallied his platoon and led them in a counterattack that succeeded in regaining their lost ground. Pena and his men then established a defensive perimeter and attempted to repel the North Koreans, but with repeated assaults, the enemy had an overwhelming manpower advantage. After Pena realized that the platoon ’s ammunition supply had begun to dwindle, he ordered his men to fall back, seized a machine gun, additional weapons, and ammunition to provide cover for the retreating platoon.
Pena made a heroic stand and held back the enemy singlehandedly until the early morning hours when his position was overrun and he was fatally wounded. Master Sergeant Pena died at the early age of 25, on September 5th, the exact date of his fifth wedding anniversary. He was returned to his origin of the Texas Gulf Coast and buried with full military honors at Cedarvale Cemetery in Bay City.
Throughout his ten-year military career, Pena exhibited exceptional service and dedication to his country. His outstanding achievements earned him more than thirty decorations and awards for meritorious service and heroic valor. Among these prestigious recognitions are the Congressional Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, and Purple Heart with two oak leaf clusters.
“It is an immense honor to have submitted Master Sgt. Pena for the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor,” Kitzman said. “His extraordinary service, courage, and sacrifice are a testament to the values we cherish as Texans and Americans. We are grateful for his dedication to our nation, and this award ensures that his legacy will be remembered and honored for generations to come.”