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.
Randy was a good friend! We went to Summer Camp at Fort Lewis 1966. I last saw him at Ft. Benning 1968. He had a keen sense of humor and was a leader and warrior.
Randy attended several communications classes in Eastern’s Radio/TV department where we became good friends. He tried hard to get me to enroll in ROTC that lead to his commission in the Army after our graduation. But I held a good news job at KXLY-TV. So I joined the Army National Guard. I spent the next 39-years in broadcasting. Now retired I still think often of my friend Randy and the sacrifice he made for our country!
Back in the 60’s Randy attended several communications classes in Eastern’s Radio/TV department where we met and became good friends. He tried hard to get me to enroll in ROTC that lead to his commission in the Army after graduation. But I held a good news job at KXLY-TV. So I joined the Army National Guard instead. I spent the next 39-years in broadcasting. Now retired I still think often of my friend Randy and the sacrifice he made for our country!