Philippines & Russia
Being the Liaison Between
MacArthur & President
Manuel Quezon
PHILIPPINES
Bonner Fellers had 3 tours of duty in the Philippines: 1920, 1929-31, & 1936-1938. In 1936 he helped open the Philippine Military Academy, the Philippines' 'West Point'. He also was the liaison between MacArthur and Philippine President Manuel Quezon. For his contribution to the Philippines defense effort, President Quezon honored him with the nation's Distinguished Service Star.
Bonner Fellers Greeting POWs, Philippines 1944
Bonner Fellers with MacArthur in the Philippines
For his role in freeing the Philippines from the Japanese, including his assignment thereafter as Director of Civil Affairs for the Philippines, in July 1946 Gen. Fellers received a second Philippine Distinguished Service Star from President Manuel Roxas.
RUSSIA
Fellers twice crossed the entire breadth of Stalinist Russia by land on U.S. government intelligence assignments. In 1936 he traveled west to east, and in 1938 east from west. His 1938 trip lasted 5 months. His reports were key in establishing U.S. military policy concerning Russia. His experiences helped form his grave concerns about communism.