William G.
Harrell ’43
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Year Awarded: 2012
William G. Harrell, Class of 1943, studied animal husbandry at the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas. While at A&M, he was in Troop C and then Troop D, Cavalry, the honor troop.
When Pearl Harbor was bombed, he left A&M to join the Marine Corps in 1942. He was assigned to the Company A, 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division, where he was a corporal. In 1945, the 28th landed on the Japanese beaches of Iwo Jima, one of the Volcano Islands. Harrell was in a two-man foxhole in a perimeter defense around the company command post when Japanese troops infiltrated the line. His counterpart’s rifle jammed, which left Harrell alone while he retrieved another one from the command post. During that brief time, Harrell shot and killed five Japanese soldiers, and lost his left hand and fractured his thigh. Two more enemy troops charged his position and placed a grenade by his head, but Harrell was able to kill one of them and return the grenade to the other, thereby killing the soldier, but he destroyed his right hand in the process. His commander later called Harrell’s position the “two-man Alamo.” He was the seventh Texas Aggie awarded the Medal of Honor.
After the war he worked as a contact representative in the Prosthetic Appliance Group at the Veterans Administration Center in San Antonio, and was later promoted to chief of the Prosthetics Division.
Harrell had two children with his first wife, Larena, and then two more children with his second wife, Olive. He passed away on August 9, 1964.
"We are not a warlike nation. We do not go to war for gain or territory; we go to war for principles, and we produce young men like these. I think I told every one of them that I would rather have that medal, the Congressional Medal of Honor, than be president of the United States."
- -President Harry S. Truman, remarks at a presentation of the Medal of Honor
Lloyd H. "Pete"
Hughes, Jr. ’43
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Year Awarded: 2012
Lloyd H. "Pete" Hughes, Jr., Class of 1943, studied petroleum engineering at the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas. He had a brief stint at Corpus Christi Junior College (now Del Mar College) before returning to A&M in 1941, but resigned to assist his family the same year.
He enlisted as an aviation cadet in 1942 in the wake of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. After completing the training courses, Hughes received his wings and commission as a second lieutenant. In 1943 he was assigned to the 564th Heavy Bombardment Squadron, 389th Heavy Bombardment Group at Lowry Field, Colo. The group moved to Europe, and then Benghazi, Libya, where the attack against the Axis oil refineries of Ploesti, Romania was launched. Hughes flew in the last formation at dangerously low altitude, and his plane received several direct hits that seriously damaged his aircraft. He continued to approach the target area, Steaua Romana oil refinery in Campina, with full knowledge of the consequences he faced, with his plane leaking oil and the ground ablaze. He continued to bomb the target area with great precision, even after the left wing of his plane caught on fire. He was the first Texas Aggie awarded the Medal of Honor.
Hughes was married to Hazel Dean Ewing. He passed away on August 1, 1943.
"Pete gave his life and the lives of his crew to carry out his assigned task. To the very end he gave the battle every ounce he had."
- Captain Philip P. Ardery, Commanding Officer, 564th Bomb Squadron
Frank C.
Litterst, Jr. ’43
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Year Awarded: 2009
College Station, TX
Litterst received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Husbandry from Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas in 1943. He was a Ross Volunteer and Commander of Battery “A” Coast Artillery at Texas A&M when he was called to service as an artillery officer during World War II. Wounded in action and honorably discharged, he returned to Texas A&M and completed his degree in animal husbandry in 1946.
In a career spanning 44 years, Litterst worked as a rancher, a beef cattle specialist with the Texas Agricultural Education Specialist program, and as a lecturer in the Department of Animal Science. He served as superintendent of the Houston Livestock Show’s Junior Market Steer Show from 1966 through 1976 and was a member of the show’s Range Bull and Heifer Committee from 1969-1987. Additionally, he is credited with developing an evaluation instrument for range bull grading used by major livestock shows today and for contributing to the development of the model, standards, and application of the U.S Department of Agriculture Feeder Cattle Grades currently in use across the United States.
Recognized with The Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award for Extension in 1975 and for Teaching in 1984, Litterst was named Senior Lecturer Emeritus by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents upon his retirement in 1989.
Litterst is a loyal and active contributor to Texas A&M University, including The Association of Former Students’ Century Club and currently serves as a Class Agent for the Class of 1943.
Litterst lives in College Station and with his late wife, Royce, has three children; Kathy Gough (spouse, Carl Gough, Jr.’69), Frank III ’68 (spouse, Patsy) and Mike ’73 (spouse, Carlette ’75). He has seven grandchildren, including Carl Gough III ’92 (spouse, Megan ’96) and Christopher Gough ’95 (spouse, Jane '95) and 11 great-grandchildren.
"At A&M you learned that anyone could do what they wanted to do, but that it takes a good man to do what he doesn’t really want to do. That discipline helped my later on to face and conquer whatever was in front of me."
Edward E.
Monteith ’43
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Year Awarded: 1993
Dallas, TX
Monteith received a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Petroleum Engineering in 1943. Mr. Monteith began his professional career as a Petroleum Engineer for Standard Oil Company of Texas. He moved to Republic Bank of Dallas working as a Petroleum Engineer in the Petroleum and Minerals Division where he later held the positions of Senior Vice President and Executive Vice President where he managed the Mineral Division for 14 years.
After working for Republic Bank, he founded Thomson-Monteith, an oil investment firm, and served as President and CEO. Monteith served as a Texas A&M Development Foundation Trustee from 1972-1983. He has provided a President’s Endowed Scholarship and special gifts to the Petroleum Engineering Department for budget supplementation and special projects.
James B.
Hervey ’42
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Year Awarded: 1988
Greenville, TX
Hervey received a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics in 1942. In 1947, he became the third Executive Secretary of The Association of Former Students, a position he held until 1964. Under his leadership, he implemented a computerized database, and established the Distinguished Alumnus Award and the Texas A&M Archives.
"I’ve had a great love for the university that gave me the education I got. And for this reason, I hope that my civic service in this community has in some way made our community a better place to live."
Turney W.
Leonard ’42
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Year Awarded: 2012
Turney W. Leonard, Class of 1942, graduated from the Agricultural & Mechanical College of Texas with a bachelor of arts in agricultural administration. While at A&M, he was involved in the Scholarship Honor Society, Marketing and Finance Club, Dallas A&M Club, and was awarded the Best Drilled Sophomore Award and the Distinguished Student award.
He was first commissioned a second lieutenant in the Regular Army, and later assigned to the Tank Destroyer Center at Camp (later Fort) Hood as an instructor. In the Huertgen Forest at Kommerscheidt, Germany, Leonard repeatedly braved intense enemy fire to direct the fire of his tank destroyers, which enabled his battalion to destroy six German tanks. He went on reconnaissance missions alone to discover what opposition his men faced, reorganized confused infantry units whose leaders had been killed, and continued to fight until he was disabled by a high-explosive shell which shattered his arm.
Leonard was reported missing in action on November 7, 1944—his body was recovered in November 1949 and identified in January 1950. He was the fifth Texas Aggie to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
"You can't put Turney's life and courage into just a few words. He was, indeed, a true Aggie, and his life and courage still inspire Aggies today. Two of my granddaughters (Classes of '06 and '08) attended A&M because of the same feeling of 'being home' that Turney felt.
- -Karen Leonard Anderson, Turney Leonard's niece
William M.
Peña ’42
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Year Awarded: 2015
Houston, TX
William M. Peña, Class of 1942, received a bachelor of science degree in architecture and a bachelor’s degree in architectural design from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, where he served on Corps staff and as president of the Laredo Club.
As a U.S. Army infantry officer in World War II, Peña fought in battles including Huertgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge and the liberation of Colmar and was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, French Legion of Honor, Croix de Guerre and Chevalier of the National Order of the Legion of Honor (France’s highest honor). He is one of five Aggies featured in the “Texas Aggies Go To War” exhibit in the Bastogne War Museum in Belgium.
Joining CRS Architects in 1948, Peña lectured worldwide and was part of more than 150 architectural projects in 39 states and nine countries. He is considered the “father of architectural programming” and he is the author of several books including “Problem Seeking: An Architectural Programming Primer” and “Ways of Thinking.” He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and recipient of Houston AIA’s Thomas Jefferson Award.
Peña is a member of The Association of Former Students’ Century Club and a colonel in the Corps of Cadets Association. He endowed a professorship in Texas A&M’s College of Architecture, of which he is an Outstanding Alumnus, and the college named CRS “Firm of the Century” for its influence. He has also served on the Board of Regents for the University System of South Texas.
Among his Aggie family were brothers Gustavo Peña ’38 and Augusto “Augie” Peña ’50.
"In the last 30 years, I have come to know Willie Peña as an eminent architect, author, teacher, scholar, mentor, war hero, and most importantly, as a generous, gentle, kind human being."
- Valerian Miranda '94, Director of the CRS Center
E. M. “Manny”
Rosenthal ’42
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Year Awarded: 1987
Fort Worth, TX
Rosenthal received a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture in 1942. While a student he was editor of the Battalion, the university newspaper, and the Battalion Magazine. Rosenthal was President of Standard Meat Co. who later merged with the Sara Lee Corp., making it the largest meat purveyor in the world. He also worked to make changes in the USDA grading standards and lessen the federal regulatory control over the industry. Rosenthal served as Chairman of the Board of Standard Meat Company.
He has continued his service to his alma mater by being instrumental in establishing two endowed chairs in the College of Agriculture, providing funds to support meats and judging teams and other student programs, and making state-of-the-art processing plants accessible to Aggies studying agriculture and veterinary medicine.
"He is a kind, generous man; really the cream of our community. I wish there were more people like him."
- Ron Stocker, District VP of B’nai B’rith
Richard “Buck”
Weirus ’42
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Year Awarded: 1993
Weirus received a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering in 1942. In 1961, he was named Executive Director of The Association of Former Students. During his tenure, membership grew to nearly 100,000, the Century Club was instituted, and he assisted in fundraising for the Kyle Field expansion in 1968.
Because of his unique leadership, vision, and support of student involvement, the Buck Weirus Spirit Award was established by The Association to recognize students' contributions to student life.
Gabe D.
Anderson, Jr. ’41
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Year Awarded: 1995
Bovina, TX
Anderson received a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Administration in 1941. He established the Sherley, Anderson Pitman Grain Co. in 1947. The firm ran five Panhandle elevator operations with a total capacity of 22 million bushels.
Over the years, he became a significant agricultural producer, and in the 1960’s expanded his interests in banking and was the Director of the North American Bankshares of Denison, American Bank & Trust of Denison, American Bank of Sherman, and First Bank Southwest of Amarillo. He served as President of the 12th Man Foundation and was named to the Texas A&M Lettermen’s Hall of Honor. Anderson and his wife, Anita, have one son, Gabe, III, and four grandchildren.
"Through the years after graduation, his moral fiber has been a distinguishing mark of his character. In subsequent years, I have been repeatedly impressed with the fact that Gabe has not drifted away from his high ideals and that he still invariably takes a position on the side of honesty and fairness. As do many others, Gabe Anderson loves Texas A&M. This is evidenced by his gifts, his presence, and his personal efforts."
- Andrew W. Rodgers ’39, former First Sergeant Battery C