News – Page 27 – EWU Army ROTC

EWU ROTC Gold Star Alumni: Randy Turner

10/04/202407/15/2019 by jstafford3

RANDY VAN TURNER

(U.S. Army)

Rank: 1st Lieutenant

Hometown: Spokane, WA

Branch: Adjutant General

Born: 23 February 1944

Death: 25 September 1969

Location: Bien Hoa, Vietnam

Silver Star

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: Panel 17W–Line 8

In the Army, when a family loses a member in war, we refer to them as a “Gold Star Family.” Each of our Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) graduates that were killed in action we consider them a “Gold Star Alumni” because they are part of our ROTC family.

Randy Turner graduated from Eastern in 1968 and commissioned into the Army’s Adjutant General Corps. He deployed the following year to Vietnam and was killed in action on September 25, 1969. He was posthumously recognized with the Silver Star. After his death Randy left behind a wife and a daughter. He was 25 years old.

Randy during his time at Eastern was a founding member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. In remembrance of Randy, his fraternity established the annual Randy Van Turner ROTC Scholarship.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of First Lieutenant Randy Turner and commemorates his service for making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation.

Note: If any friends or family have any memories they would like to share about Randy Turner, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about him.

History of Army ROTC’s Professors of Military Science at Eastern Washington University

09/27/202407/15/2019 by jstafford3

Since the creation of the U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) battalion at Eastern Washington University (EWU) in 1952, the Army has assigned a Professor of Military Science (PMS) to lead and administer the program. The PMS who also serves as the Chair for the Military Science Department, executes the important role of developing future Army officers and being a liaison to the local community and the EWU faculty, staff, and senior leadership. Below is a chronological listing of all Professors of Military Science that were assigned to Eastern Washington University since 1952.

Note: If you have any specific memories you want to share about any of the PMS’s listed below please leave a comment and share it with us.

Benjamin J. Van Meter

Lieutenant Colonel, Signal Corps

2021-present

Jonathan Stafford

Lieutenant Colonel, Air Defense Artillery

2018-2021

Michael Eliassen

Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry

2016-2018

Jason Pape

Lieutenant Colonel, Armor

2012-2016

Michael Kirkland

Lieutenant Colonel

2009-2012

David Millet

Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry

2005-2009

Kevin Arbanas

Lieutenant Colonel, Aviation

2002-2005

Charles Green Jr.

Lieutenant Colonel, Finance

2000-2002

Alan Westfield

Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry

1996-2000

James McMullin

Lieutenant Colonel, Armor

1993-1996

William Zorn

Lieutenant Colonel, Aviation

1990-1993

Douglas Morgan

Lieutenant Colonel, Field Artillery

1985-1990

Ronald Walter

Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry

1983-1985

George Massey

Lieutenant Colonel

1981-1983

Thomas Coonelly Jr.

Lieutenant Colonel, Engineer

1978-1981

Emilio Zamora

Lieutenant Colonel, Transportation

1974-1978

Darrell Irvin

Colonel, Field Artillery

1972-1974

Andy Pribnow

Lieutenant Colonel, Air Defense Artillery

1967-1972

Edgar Fenstemacher

Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry

1963-1967

Erwin Nilsson

Colonel, Infantry

1959-1963

Eccles Scott

Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry

1955-1959

Daniel Carter

Lieutenant Colonel, Infantry

1952-1955

EWU ROTC Gold Star Alumni: Ronald Wolfe

10/09/202407/14/2019 by jstafford3

RONALD GALE WOLFE

(U.S. Navy Reserve)

Rank: Lieutenant

Hometown: Spokane, WA

Branch: Navy

Birth: 05 November 1939

Death: 20 October 1966

Location: Phouc Tuy, Vietnam

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: Panel 11E–Line 93

Lieutenant Ronald Wolfe graduated from Eastern in 1961 and decided to attend Officer Candidate School and become an officer in the Navy. He successfully completed OCS and was serving with a naval advisory group in Vietnam when he was killed on October 20, 1966. He was 26 years old.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of Lieutenant Ronald Wolfe and commemorates his service for making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation.

Note: If any friends or family have any memories they would like to share about Ronald Wolfe, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about him.

EWU ROTC Gold Star Alumni: William Wall

10/09/202407/14/2019 by jstafford3

WILLIAM PENN WALL III

(U.S. Army Reserve)

Rank: 2nd Lieutenant

Hometown: Tekoa, WA

Branch: Field Artillery

Born: 02 January 1946

Death: 01 April 1970

Location: Thua Thien, Vietnam

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: Panel 12W–Line 77

William Wall from Tekoa, Washington who went by the nickname of “Bink”, was an All-American linebacker who helped lead the Eastern football team to the 1967 national championship game. He graduated in 1968 and commissioned into the Field Artillery branch. Less than two years later while serving in Vietnam, “Bink” was killed on April 1, 1970. “Bink” left behind his wife Linda and his two daughters. He was 24 years old.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of Second Lieutenant William Wall and commemorates his service for making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation.

Note: If any friends or family have any memories they would like to share about William Wall, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about him.

EWU ROTC Gold Star Alumni: Richard Walker

10/09/202407/14/2019 by jstafford3

RICHARD HAROLD WALKER

(U.S. Army Reserve)

Rank: 1st Lieutenant

Hometown: Spokane, WA

Branch: Infantry

Born: 11 August 1944

Death: 15 January 1968

Location: Tay Ninh, Vietnam

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: Panel 34E–Line 56

Richard Walker was from Spokane, Washington and commissioned as an Infantry officer in 1967. He would then deploy to Vietnam and was killed in action on January 15, 1968 leading his platoon in an attack against an enemy bunker complex. His attack allowed other soldiers in his company to extract the critically wounded.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of First Lieutenant Richard Walker and commemorates his service for making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation.

Note: If any friends or family have any memories they would like to share about Richard Walker, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about him.

EWU ROTC Gold Star Alumni: Owen McCandlis

10/09/202407/13/2019 by jstafford3

OWEN TED McCANDLIS

(U.S. Army Reserve)

Rank: 1st Lieutenant

Hometown: Snohomish, WA

Branch: Infantry

Born: 27 December 1944

Death: 05 February 1970

Location: Quang Tri, Vietnam

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: Panel 14W–Line 105

First Lieutenant Owen McCandlis was from Snohomish, Washington and graduated from Eastern in 1968 where he commissioned into the Army as an Infantry officer. He deployed to Vietnam the following year and was killed on February 5, 1970. He was 25 years old.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of First Lieutenant Owen McCandlis and commemorates his service for making the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our great nation.

Note: If any friends or family have any memories they would like to share about Owen McCandlis, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about our fallen Fighting Eagle.