June 18, 1942. LBJ flies back to Melbourne and meets again with General MacArthur. After hearing about the bombing raid and the crash of the Wabash Cannonball, MacArthur awards Silver Stars to LBJ, Lt. Colonel Samuel E. Anderson, and Lt. Colonel Francis R. Stevens. Anderson and Stevens. both of the Operations and Plans Division of the War Department General Staff, had been traveling with LBJ on the last part of his trip. Stevens, who died in the crash of the Wabash Cannonball, was also awarded a Purple Heart. There was controversy later about the Silver Stars, especially the one awarded to Johnson. The rest of the men who died on the Wabash Cannonball did not receive them, and no one else on LBJ’s plane the Heckling Hare was awarded a medal for their mission on June 9.
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June 18, 1942. LBJ flies back to Melbourne and meets again with General MacArthur. After hearing about the bombing raid and the crash of the Wabash Cannonball, MacArthur awards Silver Stars to LBJ, Lt. Colonel Samuel E. Anderson, and Lt. Colonel Francis R. Stevens. Anderson and Stevens. both of the Operations and Plans Division of the War Department General Staff, had been traveling with LBJ on the last part of his trip. Stevens, who died in the crash of the Wabash Cannonball, was also awarded a Purple Heart.

There was controversy later about the Silver Stars, especially the one awarded to Johnson. The rest of the men who died on the Wabash Cannonball did not receive them, and no one else on LBJ’s plane the Heckling Hare was awarded a medal for their mission on June 9.

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  1. lbjlibrary posted this