Richard G. Candelaria

Richard Gomez Candelaria (born July 14, 1922) is an American flying ace in the 479th Fighter Group during World War II, who was credited with six aerial victories. Candelaria was born on July 14, 1922, in El Paso, Texas. The only child in his family, Candelaria was seven years old when his father died. His maternal grandmother, two aunts and an uncle then moved to Southern California to live with the family, where they lived comfortably during the Great Depression. After graduating from Theodore Roosevelt High School in Fresno in February 1939, Candelaria passed preliminary entrance exams for the Air Force flying program. He began his seven-month studies at the University of Southern California to meet the two-year college requirement within the U.S. Army Air Corps. During this time, he maintained his interest in aviation by working part time at Miller Dial & Instrument, a company that produced instrument dials for aircraft. During World War II, Candelaria enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.S. Army Air Forces on January 22, 1943. He began his training at airfields in California and Arizona. In January 1944, he graduated as a second lieutenant and received his wings. Following completion of flight training, Candelaria was selected and assigned to Williams and Luke Fields in Arizona, as a flight instructor, teaching advanced pilot instrument flying and gunnery. In May 1944, Candelaria registered to be assigned in combat operations. After completing P-51 Mustang transition training, he was assigned with the 435th Fighter Squadron of the 479th Fighter Group in England in September 1944. Based at RAF Wattisham, he flew P-38 Lightnings and P-51 Mustangs in bomber escort missions. On December 5, he was flying as wingman to the flight leader on a mission northwest of Berlin when his squadron encountered 80 Focke-Wulf Fw 190s that were attempting to attack a formation of B-24 Liberators. The P-51s attacked with Candelaria shooting down two Fw 190s, resulting the remaining Fw 190s to scatter and retreat.