Texas Border Business
The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against an enemy force which can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the United States Armed Services. The deed performed must have been one of personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous as to clearly distinguish the individual above his comrades and must have involved risk of life.
On December 3, Vietnam Veteran Cruz Yanez was recognized in Commissioners Court, for his exceptional bravery while serving in the U.S. Army. During the recognition, Hidalgo County Veterans Service Officer Felix Rodriguez reported that Mr. Yanez had not been awarded a much-deserved Congressional Medal of Honor.
Today, a resolution was passed in support of Yanez being awarded this prestigious and long overdue honor.
As Yanez humbly accepted the resolution, he shared his reason for enlisting during the height of the Vietnam War.
“I was born in 1946, and in 1953, my family moved to McAllen, where I attended high school where I received a basketball scholarship and attended UTPA,” said Yanez. “Instead of going to UTPA, I felt a call to duty, and it was during that time that I volunteered to serve our country.”
Yanez has been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, two Bronze Star Medals with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device, two Silver Star Medals, and an Air Medal. His many heroic actions included protecting a wounded comrade under heavy fire while reinforcements arrived, and he also completely disregarded his own safety by opening fire on enemy forces to save his fellow soldiers.
There are two protocols for awarding the Medal of Honor, the most common being that a service member submits a nomination through the chain of command and the other process is through nomination by a member of Congress, usually at the request of a constituent and approved by a special act of Congress.
Commissioners Court supports the awarding of the Congressional Medal of Honor to Vietnam Veteran Cruz Yanez for his exceptional bravery while serving in the U.S. Army.
