EWU – Page 19 – EWU Army ROTC

EWU ROTC Gold Star Alumni: Bruce Grandstaff

10/09/202407/13/2019 by jstafford3

BRUCE ALAN GRANDSTAFF

(US Army)

Rank: Sergeant First Class / Platoon Sergeant

Hometown: Spokane, WA

Branch: Infantry

Born: 02 June 1934

Death: 18 May 1967

Location: Plieku, Vietnam

Medal of Honor

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.

SFC Grandstaff is the only Fighting Eagle Cadet to ever be recognized with the Medal of Honor. Bruce Grandstaff enrolled into Eastern in 1952. Two years later in 1954, Grandstaff decided to enlist into the Army. He spent two years in the Army before returning to Eastern to continue his military science studies in 1956. Grandstaff decided to reenlist in the Army in 1961. In 1967 he was deployed to Vietnam as a Platoon Sergeant. During an operation along the Cambodian border, Grandstaff’s platoon became surrounded by an estimated 700 enemy soldiers.

The battle lasted for 5 hours and Grandstaff was wounded in both legs as he rallied his men, coordinated helicopter strafing runs, and artillery fire against the attacking North Vietnamese troops. In a final act of courage Grandstaff ordered an artillery strike on top of his own position. He died that day on May 18, 1967. He left behind a wife and three daughters, he was 32 years old.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of Platoon Sergeant and Sergeant First Class Bruce Grandstaff 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 Bruce Grandstaff, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about him.

EWU ROTC Gold Star Alumni: Richard Ator

10/09/202407/13/2019 by jstafford3

RICHARD DENNIS ATOR

(US Army)

Rank: Major

Hometown: Moses Lake, WA

Branch: Infantry

Born: 10 March 1937

Death: 05 March 1970

Location: Tuyen Duc, Vietnam

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: Panel 13W–Line 84

Major Richard Ator was from Moses Lake, Washington and was known by his nickname “Buck”. During his time in ROTC, “Buck” received the Legion of Valor Cross for being the top Cadet in the Pacific Northwest. He graduated in 1962 and commissioned as an infantryman in to the U.S. Army. He was killed in action during his second tour in Vietnam on March 5, 1970 while running through mortar and small arms fire to resupply the South Vietnamese unit he was serving as an advisor to. His heroism that day was recognized with receiving the nation’s third highest medal for valor, the Silver Star. Major Ator left behind a wife, one son and one daughter. He was 32 years old.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of Major Richard Ator 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 Ator, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about him.

EWU Gold Star Alumni: Timothy Burchett

10/09/202407/13/2019 by jstafford3

TIMOTHY GORDON BURCHETT

(US Army)

Rank: Private First Class

Hometown: Spokane, WA

Branch: Infantry

Born: 25 November 1948

Death: 29 June 1969

Location: Kien Hoa, Vietnam

Silver Star

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: Panel 21W–Line 31

Private First Class Timothy Burchett was from Spokane, Washington and after enrolling into Eastern and participating in ROTC, Timothy decided to enlist into the Army as an infantryman in 1968. He deployed to Vietnam and was killed in action on June 29, 1969 during an enemy ambush. During the ambush Burchett though heavily wounded provided accurate and devastating fire on the enemy allowing his unit to escape. His heroism was recognized with the posthumous awarding of the Silver Star. PFC Burchett was 20 years old.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of Private First Class Timothy Burchett 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 Timothy Burchett, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about him.

EWU ROTC Gold Star Alumni: Randall Arney

10/09/202407/13/2019 by jstafford3

RANDALL NAVE ARNEY

(U.S. Army Reserve)

Rank: 1st Lieutenant

Hometown: Klickitat, WA

Branch: Infantry

Born: 31 December 1943

Death: 12 July 1968

Location: Thua Thien, Vietnam

First Lieutenant Randall Arney’s hometown is Klickitat, Washington and he commissioned as an infantryman from Eastern in 1967. He would go on to serve in Vietnam the following year and was killed in action on July 12, 1968. He was 24 years old.

The Department of Military Science offers condolences to the family of First Lieutenant Randall Arney 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 Randall Arney, please leave a note in the comments section because we would love to learn more about him.

EWU College of Social Sciences Dean Experiences COI Training at Ft. Knox

10/02/202407/11/2019 by jstafford3

Besides being home to the United States gold reserves, Fort Knox, Kentucky is also the home to the U.S. Army Cadet Command’s premier training event, Advanced Camp. At Advanced Camp, Cadets from Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs spread out across 274 college campuses, come together to conduct leadership training at Ft. Knox. Cadets generally attend Advanced Camp the summer between their Junior and Senior years of college. Passing Advanced Camp is a requirement for every Cadet who wants to commission as an officer after graduating from college.

EWU ROTC Cadets (From Left) Megan Baker, Austin Pfennig, & Chad Triplett participate in Advanced Camp 2019 at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.

In effort to help university faculty and community leaders better understand the training ROTC Cadets conduct at Advanced Camp, select personnel from across the nation are invited to attend a one-week course at Ft. Knox. Recently our very own Dean of the College of Social Sciences (CSS) at Eastern Washington University (EWU), Dr. Jonathan Anderson had the opportunity to attend this course known as Centers of Influence (COI) Training.

While at Fort Knox Dr. Anderson attended a number of informational meetings about ROTC and also participated in training Cadets experience during Advanced Camp. These events included a Leadership Reaction Course and rappelling.

Dr. Anderson (upper right) participates in an informational brief.

Dr. Anderson (center) prepares for rappel tower training.

For a very select few of the personnel that attended the COI training, they were able to participate in a jump with the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights parachute demonstration team. Dr. Anderson was chosen as one of the few COIs to participate in the parachute jump.

Dr. Anderson prepares to jump with the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights parachute team.

Dr. Anderson flies off with the Golden Knights.

Dr. Anderson parachutes over Ft. Knox, Kentucky with the Golden Knights.

EWU ROTC thanks Dr. Anderson for attending the COI training and the strong support we receive from the College of Social Sciences.

Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!

Throwback Thursday: Cadet Hall in 2003

10/11/202407/11/2019 by jstafford3

This picture of Cadet Hall was taken by Eastern Washington University photographers back in 2003. Fortunately we no longer have the red sign that is pictured to identify Cadet Hall and instead have much better signs to better brand our building with today.

EWU ROTC alumni, Captain Levi Floeter stands in front of Cadet Hall in 2018.