Bruce McCandless Bruce McCandless I ( August 12 , 1911 – January 24 , 1968 ) was an officer of United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor during World War II for his heroism on board the , during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal , November 13 , 1942 . He retired with the rank of Rear Admiral . McCandless was the father of NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless II . Additionally , Admiral McCandless was the great - grandson of David Colbert McCanles of the Rock Creek Station , Nebraska shoot - out with Wild Bill Hickok . After that , the McCanles family changed its name to McCandless and moved to Florence , Colorado . Early life . The son of Commodore Byron McCandless ( 1881 – 1967 ) , Bruce McCandless was born on August 12 , 1911 , in Washington , D . C . . He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1932 . Military service . McCandless served on and . He was serving as communications officer of " San Francisco " when the Empire of Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7 , 1941 . On November 13 , 1942 , during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal , Japanese gunfire killed Rear Admiral Daniel J . Callaghan and his staff , including Captain Cassin Young and all other officers on the " San Francisco " < nowiki > ' < / nowiki > s bridge , except Lieutenant Commander McCandless , who took the conn for the rest of the battle . For his conduct , he was awarded the Medal of Honor , and promoted to full Commander . The " 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 the " San Francisco " until 1944 , when he took command of the destroyer . On April 8 , 1945 , during the Battle of Okinawa , " Gregory " was attacked and damaged by four kamikaze s ; her skipper was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry . Captain McCandless retired on September 1 , 1952 , with a terminal promotion to the rank of Rear Admiral . He died in Washington , D . C . , on January 24 , 1968 , and was buried at the Naval Academy in Annapolis , Md . In 1971 , the frigate 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 , CA . Medal of Honor citation . 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 .