Private Andrew Blaz Candelaria

Andrew Blaz Candelaria was born on February 3, 1916 and grew up in El Paso Texas, graduating from Bowie High School. His parents were Mr. and Mrs. N H Candelaria. He enrolled at NMAMC in the fall of 1938 and attended for two years. In the late summer of 1943 he joined the US Army and was subsequently assigned to the 2nd Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division in the European Theater. As part of Patton’s Third Army, he participated in the race across France. On September 20, 1944 he was killed in action while participating in the offensive campaign to expand the Mosel River bridgehead. He was married to the former Rose Norton and had a son, Andrew Jr. whom he never had the chance to meet. He is buried at the Lorraine American Cemetery. He was 28 years old at the time of his death.