Richard Gomez Candelaria was born on July 14, 1922, in Pasadena, California, USA. He joined the U.S. Army Reserves and earned his “wings” on February 8, 1944. From September 22, 1944, he served on the front lines as part of the 479th Fighter Group.
Early Service and Combat Missions
Initially, Candelaria flew a Lockheed P-38J. Following the arrival of new North American P-51D and K models, he was assigned a P-51K (J2-K, s/n.44-11755) nicknamed “My Pride And Joy.” He opened his combat score on December 5, 1944, shooting down two FW-190s during an escort mission.
Shot Down, Captivity, and Daring Escape
On March 3, 1945, during a strafing attack on an enemy airfield, he was credited with damaging three BF-109s. However, on April 13, 1945, Candelaria was shot down by anti-aircraft fire while attacking a German airfield south of Tarnewitz. He successfully parachuted and was taken prisoner, then sent to a concentration camp.
While in the camp, Candelaria organized a daring escape, taking a German officer captive. After the war, he became a restaurant owner in California. Records indicate he was alive as of 2001.