Bruce McCandless - Military Service

Military Service

McCandless served on USS Indianapolis (CA-35) and USS Case (DD-370). He was serving as communications officer of San Francisco when the Empire of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

On November 13, 1942, during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, Japanese gunfire killed Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan and his staff, including Captain Cassin Young and all other officers on the San Francisco's bridge, except Lieutenant Commander McCandless, who took the conn for the rest of the battle. For his conduct, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, and promoted to full Commander. The San Francisco received the Presidential Unit Citation for this battle and, by the end of the war, was credited with 17 battle stars.

Cmdr. McCandless continued to serve on the San Francisco until 1944, when he took command of the destroyer USS Gregory (DD-802). On April 8, 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, Gregory was attacked and damaged by four kamikazes; her skipper was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry.

Captain McCandless retired on September 1, 1952, with a terminal promotion to the rank of Rear Admiral. He died in Washington, D.C., on January 24, 1968, and was buried at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.

In 1971, the frigate USS McCandless (FF-1084) was named in honor of RADM. McCandless and his father, Commodore Byron McCandless. There is also a street at the U.S. Naval Academy named after Admiral McCandless, as well as the Colorado State Veterans Nursing Home in Florence, Colorado. Commodore Byron McCandless has a street named after him at the US Naval Base, San Diego, CA.