# Bruce McCandless > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bruce_McCandless > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Bruce_McCandless.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_McCandless > Source revision: 1351628839 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) United States Navy Medal of Honor recipient This article is about the US Naval officer who was awarded the Medal of Honor for service in the Second World War. For his son, the former Navy aviator and NASA astronaut, see [Bruce McCandless II](/source/Bruce_McCandless_II). Bruce McCandless Born (1911-08-12)August 12, 1911 Washington, D.C., U.S. Died January 24, 1968(1968-01-24) (aged 56) Washington, D.C., U.S. Place of burial US Naval Academy Cemetery, Annapolis, Maryland Allegiance United States of America Branch United States Navy Service years 1928–1952 Rank Rear admiral Conflicts World War II Attack on Pearl Harbor Naval Battle of Guadalcanal Battle of Okinawa Battle of Iwo Jima Battle of Cape Esperance Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign Battle of the Aleutian Islands Solomon Islands campaign Awards Medal of Honor Silver Star Purple Heart Spouse Sue Worthington Bradley Relations Commodore Byron McCandless, USN (father) Captain Bruce McCandless II, USN, NASA (son) Sue Worthington McCandless Wooldridge (daughter) Rosemary van Linde McCandless (daughter) Douglas Montrose McCandless (son) Sir Henry Hudson Kitson OBE (maternal great uncle) Captain Willis W. Bradley, USN (father-in-law) Sue Worthington Bradley (mother-in-law) **Bruce McCandless I** (August 12, 1911 – January 24, 1968) was an officer of [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) who received the [Medal of Honor](/source/Medal_of_Honor) during [World War II](/source/World_War_II) for his heroism on board [USS *San Francisco*](/source/USS_San_Francisco_(CA-38)) during the [Naval Battle of Guadalcanal](/source/Naval_Battle_of_Guadalcanal) on November 13, 1942. He retired with the rank of rear admiral. McCandless was the father of [NASA](/source/National_Aeronautics_and_Space_Administration) [astronaut](/source/Astronaut) Captain [Bruce McCandless II](/source/Bruce_McCandless_II), USN (Ret). Additionally, Admiral McCandless was the great-grandson of [David Colbert McCanles](/source/McCanles_Gang) of the Rock Creek Station, Nebraska, shoot-out with [Wild Bill Hickok](/source/Wild_Bill_Hickok). After that incident, the McCanles family changed their name to McCandless and moved to Florence, Colorado. ## Early life and family The son of Rear Admiral (formerly Commodore) [Byron McCandless](/source/Byron_McCandless) (1881–1967), Bruce McCandless was born on August 12, 1911, in [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.) Following in his father's footsteps, Bruce graduated from the [United States Naval Academy](/source/United_States_Naval_Academy) in 1932.[1] His classmates included [Richard Best](/source/Richard_Halsey_Best), [Henry Munson](/source/Henry_G._Munson), and [Lloyd Mustin](/source/Lloyd_M._Mustin).[2] McCandless married Sue Worthington Bradley, daughter of [Captain](/source/Captain_(United_States_O-6)) [Willis W. Bradley](/source/Willis_W._Bradley), USN. They had two sons and two daughters, including NASA astronaut [Bruce McCandless II](/source/Bruce_McCandless_II). ## Military service Admiral [Chester Nimitz](/source/Chester_Nimitz) (center) visits Commander [Herbert E. Schonland](/source/Herbert_Emery_Schonland) (left) and Lt. Commander Bruce McCandless on board the USS *San Francisco* at Pearl Harbor in December 1942. During the [Naval Battle of Guadalcanal](/source/Naval_Battle_of_Guadalcanal), Schonland assumed command after the ship's Captain was killed, and led damage control efforts. McCandless, the ship's Communications Officer, navigated the ship to safety. Both Schonland and McCandless received the Medal of Honor for their actions during and immediately after the battle. McCandless served on the [cruiser](/source/Cruiser) [USS *Indianapolis*](/source/USS_Indianapolis_(CA-35)) and the [destroyer](/source/Destroyer) [USS *Case*](/source/USS_Case_(DD-370)). He was serving as communications officer of the cruiser [USS *San Francisco*](/source/USS_San_Francisco_(CA-38)) when the [Empire of Japan](/source/Empire_of_Japan) [attacked Pearl Harbor](/source/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor) on December 7, 1941. On November 13, 1942, during the [Naval Battle of Guadalcanal](/source/Naval_Battle_of_Guadalcanal), Japanese gunfire killed Rear Admiral [Daniel J. Callaghan](/source/Daniel_J._Callaghan)[3] and his staff, including Captain [Cassin Young](/source/Cassin_Young) and all other officers on *San Francisco*'s [bridge](/source/Bridge_(nautical)), except Lieutenant Commander McCandless, who took the [conn](/source/Conn_(nautical)) for the rest of the battle. For his conduct, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, and promoted to full [commander](/source/Commander_(United_States)). *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 *San Francisco* until 1944, when he took command of the newly commissioned destroyer [USS *Gregory*](/source/USS_Gregory_(DD-802)) on July 29 of the same year. On April 8, 1945, during the [Battle of Okinawa](/source/Battle_of_Okinawa), *Gregory* was attacked and damaged by four [kamikazes](/source/Kamikaze) and McCandless was awarded the [Silver Star](/source/Silver_Star) for conspicuous gallantry during the battle. Captain McCandless retired on September 1, 1952, with a terminal promotion to the rank of [rear admiral](/source/Rear_admiral_(United_States)). He died in [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.), on January 24, 1968, and was buried in the Naval Academy Cemetery in [Annapolis, Maryland](/source/Annapolis%2C_Maryland). ## Medal of Honor citation ### Medal of Honor citation Admiral [Ernest King](/source/Ernest_King), USN, presents the Medal of Honor to Commander McCandless, USN, December 12, 1942. For conspicuous gallantry and exceptionally distinguished service above and beyond the call of duty as communication officer of the U.S.S. San Francisco in combat with enemy Japanese forces in the battle off Savo Island, 12–13 November 1942. In the midst of a violent night engagement, the fire of a determined and desperate enemy seriously wounded Lt. Comdr. McCandless and rendered him unconscious, killed or wounded the admiral in command, his staff, the captain of the ship, the navigator, and all other personnel on the navigating and signal bridges. Faced with the lack of superior command upon his recovery, and displaying superb initiative, he promptly assumed command of the ship and ordered her course and gunfire against an overwhelmingly powerful force. With his superiors in other vessels unaware of the loss of their admiral, and challenged by his great responsibility, Lt. Comdr. McCandless boldly continued to engage the enemy and to lead our column of following vessels to a great victory. Largely through his brilliant seamanship and great courage, the San Francisco was brought back to port, saved to fight again in the service of her country. ## Awards and decorations 1st row Medal of Honor 2nd row Silver Star Purple Heart American Defense Service Medal 3rd row Navy Presidential Unit Citation with 1 Service star American Defense Service Medal with Fleet clasp American Campaign Medal 4th row Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 7 Campaign stars World War II Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal ## Legacy In 1971, the [frigate](/source/Frigate) [USS *McCandless* (FF-1084)](/source/USS_McCandless) 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, California. ## See also - [Biography portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Biography) - [List of Medal of Honor recipients](/source/List_of_Medal_of_Honor_recipients) - [List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II](/source/List_of_Medal_of_Honor_recipients_for_World_War_II#M) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [*Lucky Bag*](http://archive.org/details/luckybag1932unse). Nimitz Library U. S. Naval Academy. First Class, United States Naval Academy. 1932.{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: others ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_others)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [*Lucky Bag*](http://archive.org/details/luckybag1932unse). Nimitz Library U. S. Naval Academy. First Class, United States Naval Academy. 1932.{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: others ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_others)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [*Video: America Reports On Aid To Allies Etc. (1942)*](https://archive.org/details/gov.archives.arc.38937). [Universal Newsreel](/source/Universal_Newsreel). 1942. Retrieved February 21, 2012. - *This article incorporates text from the [public domain](/source/Public_domain)*[Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships](/source/Dictionary_of_American_Naval_Fighting_Ships)*.* ## External links - ["phies of McCandless naval officers"](http://www.homeofheros.com/a_homepage/community/misc/mccandless_family.htm). Retrieved September 24, 2010. - ["The San Francisco Story", by RADM Bruce McCandless](https://web.archive.org/web/20131207004314/http://usssanfrancisco.org/The%20San%20Francisco%20Story.htm) - [The Mccandless Family's Contribution to America](https://web.archive.org/web/20140226152223/http://www.homeofheroes.com/a_homepage/community/misc/mccandless_family.htm) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Bruce McCandless](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_McCandless) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_McCandless?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.