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
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.
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.
Owen was an athlete, a hunter,fisherman, and husband with two young children. We were roommates in Pearce Hall. We were intramural referees for basketball and flag football. Owen had two brothers.
I visited him at FT. Knox, Kentucky, prior to his deployment to Vietnam. I was in Pleiku, with MACV advising South Vietnamese Soldiers. I received a message to go to Saigon as a special assignment. I was to escort Owen’s body to Snohomish, as their was a accident with his.45 service revolver. It was the most difficult assignment in my life. I returned to my MAT Team in Pleiku.
He was my best friend…..RIP (O.T.) his nickname.
I just found this, I am Owen’s Niece (wife Anne’s niece), he passed away before I was even born. I am glad to here stories about him.
He was a very good ROTC student and a fine young man. RIP