Richard W. Taylor, aged 22, was born on October 1, 1922, in Geneva, New York. He served in the 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group as a Second Lieutenant during World War II. He was killed in the crash of his P-51 #44-14768 (flying as a wingman to Paul Bowles that day), near Castricum, Netherlands on February 23, 1945. They were on a bomber escort mission to Germany. An investigation revealed that some days after the crash a witness found an almost intact released P-51 cockpit canopy at a distance of about 800 m. from the crash site, indicating that Richard Taylor was trying to bail out but it was too late.

On July 29, 2000, the local council of Castricum decided to name a new street after Richard W. Taylor for the role he played in the wartime history of Castricum and for Freedom in The Netherlands. Richard Taylor was the only American killed in Castricum during the war. The memory to Richard Taylor is kept alive with a small display in the Museum of the Aircraft Recovery Group 1940 - 1945 in Heemskerk, Netherlands starting with the words 'Born To Fly - Richard Wallace Taylor'.

2LT Taylor is buried now in the Glenwood Cemetery, Geneva, Ontario County, New York, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com