Evening star., 1942-10-30
Widows Given Medals
For Ii. Col. Stevens
And Col. Bundy
Sen Marshall Presents
Awards PosthumousIy
As Families Wotch

From Gen. George G. Marshall
Army Chief Of Staff, two Washing
ton women yesterday received the
decorations which had been awarded
posthumously to their officer hus-
bands, each a member of the Gen.
eral Staff Corps.
To 1t. Col. Francis r. Stevens
killed on June in the Southwest
Pacific area, the Distinguished Serv-
Ice Cross had been awarded by Gen
Douglas Macarthur, commander in
chief OF that combat area. The
other ohicer, Col. Charles w. Bundy
died In the crash of an Army trans
port plane last December in Cali
fornia. He had been awarded the
Distinguished Service Medal.
The two widows, Mrs. Marguerite
Dick Stevens of the Westchester
Apartments, and Mrs. Helen M. N.
Bundy of 6669 Thirty second place
NV, were presented the medals at
a ceremony in Gen. Marshall's office
in the Munitions Building during
the afternoon. Members of their
families attended.
Mother Receives Decoration.
Miss Peggy Stevens and Bobby,
daughter and son of Col. and Mrs.
Stevens, saw their mother receive
the decoration. Mrs. William v.
Dick, mother of Mrs. Stevens, also
was present. Also attending the
ceremony was Richard Bundy, son
OF Col. and Mrs. Bundy, and Army
friends of both deceased officers.
Col. Stevens, the citation declared,
displayed extraordinary heroism"
in action in the vicinity of Port
Moresby and Salamua, New Guinea,
on June 9. He was undertaking a
mission from the War Department
General Staff to obtain information
In the Southwest Pacific area.
While on this mission, Col. Stevens
volunteered to act as an observer
on hazardous aerial combat flight
over hostile positions in New Guinea.
The formation of six American
planes was attacked by 10 japanese
fighters and the plane In which Col.
Stevens was an observer was shot
down. This courageous officer lost
his life as result of his heroic
voluntary attempt to gain valuable
information" the citation stated.
= Col. Stevens was a native of Clear
Greek, Ala, and was 49 years old
He was attached to the Operation
Division of the General Staff in
Washington. He was graduated from
the United States Military Academy
In 1924.
Bundy Died Before Promotion.
With respect to Col. Bundy, the
War Department said he was killed
while on an important mission, in
the same plane crash that caused
the death of Maj. Gen. Herbert A.
Dargde, commanding general of the
First Air Force, Mitchell Field, N. Y.
A long time after the crash, the
remnants of the plane was found in
. California gorge.
The accident denied to Col.
Bundy promotion to brigadier gen.
eral the rank for which he had
shortly before been selected.
Earlier, on other missions, he had
displayed superior judgment, force
of character and a keen insight into
the complexities of the problems
presented in the formulation of
joint plans vital to the security Of
his country" the citation declared.
Col. Bundy, during August. 1941,
had served as an adviser during the
conference between President Roose
welt and Prime Minister Churchill
of Great Britain. He was a member
OF the mission sent by President
Roosevelt to London and later to
Moscow in September, 1941.
Col. Bundy was born So years ago
In Somerville, Mass. After serving
with the Maine National Guard he
was commissioned in the Army in
1916. He was graduate of both
the Army and Naval War Colleges.