DELEIDI, RICHARD AUGUSTINE



Name: Richard Augustine Deleidi
Branch/Rank: United States Marine Corps/O3
Unit: VFMA 334 MAG 13
Date of Birth: 30 January 1945
Home City of Record: EL CAJON CA
Date of Loss: 07 February 1969
Country of Loss: South Vietnam/Over Water
Loss Coordinates: 155450 North  1082411 East
Status (in 1973): Killed In Action/Body Not Recovered
Category: 5
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4J #155762
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: Charles W. Maxwell, 1st.LT, RIO; rescued
Refno: 1373

Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews and CACCF = Combined Action
Combat Casualty File. Updated 2004 with information from John Pagel. 
2020

REMARKS:

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Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2017 01:12:45 +0000 (UTC)
From: Justin Jackson-Mann 

 

Richard Augustine Deleidi at has a webpage on the Virtual Wall at
http://www.virtualwall.org/dd/DeleidiRA01a.htm 

Under the Remarks section: 


 
On 7 Feb 1969, Captain Deleidi and his Radar Intercept Officer, 1st Lt J W
Maxwell, launched from Danang in F-4J BuNo 155762 on a close air support
mission targeted just 3 miles west of the base. His aircraft was hit by .51 caliber
antiaircraft fire as he was pulling off on his second run at the target. His F-4 on
fire, Deleidi headed for the open water. Maxwell ejected just off the coast and a
lthough badly injured was picked up and survived the incident. Captain Deleidi
did not eject before the F-4 impacted the water. His remains were not recovered.
 

Justin

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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KZv2EAG

CAPT RICHARD AUGUSTINE DELEIDI

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On February 7, 1969, an F-4J Phantom (bureau number: 4155762, call sign: Lovebug 465) with a crew of two embarked on a close air support mission over the Republic of (South) Vietnam. While attacking enemy ground troops (vicinity of 49P AT 865 452), the Phantom was hit by enemy ground fire. The pilot headed towards the coast, and the aircraft caught fire and went out of control. The radar intercept officer ejected and was eventually rescued. Observers saw the Phantom crash near the mouth of the Hoi An River. They did not see a second man eject from the aircraft before the crash.

Captain (Capt) Richard Augustine Deleidi, who joined the U.S. Marine Corps from California, served with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 334, Marine Air Group 13, 1st Marine Air Wing. He was the pilot of the Phantom when it crashed, and his remains were not recovered. Today, Capt Deleidi is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

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