- Joseph W. Dailey
Infobox Military Person
name= Joseph W Dailey
born= birth date|1917|2|17
died= Death date and age|2007|7|5|1917|2|17
placeofbirth= Black Mountain,Arkansas
placeofdeath=Newport Beach, California
placeofburial=
caption= 5th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (1969-1973)
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|United States United States of America
branch=United States Marine Corps
serviceyears= 1941-1945, 1948-1973
rank= Sergeant Major
commands=Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
unit=
battles=World War II -New Guinea campaign -Battle of the Bismarck Sea -Battle of Okinawa Korean War Vietnam War
awards=Navy Cross Silver Star Bronze StarPurple Heart
laterwork=Sergeant Major Joseph W Dailey (
17 February 1917 –5 July 2007 ) served as the 5thSergeant Major of the Marine Corps from1 August 1969 until he retired fromactive duty in theMarine Corps on31 January 1973 . SgtMaj Dailey was the oldest living former Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps when he died in 2007. Dailey served in combat in three wars —World War II , Korea, and Vietnam — earning theSilver Star for actions during theBattle of Okinawa and theNavy Cross and the Bronze Star for actions during theKorean War .Biography
Born
17 February 1917 , in Black Mountain, Arkansas, he enlisted in theUnited States Marine Corps in 1941 at Portland, Oregon and underwent recruit training at theMarine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego , California.During
World War II , Sergeant Major Dailey served with the1st Battalion, 1st Marines , 1st Marine Division, and participated in combat operations in EasternNew Guinea ; Bismarck Archipelago; Western Caroline Islands and on Okinawa. He was awarded theSilver Star for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy while serving as ActingGunnery Sergeant of Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines onOkinawa ,3 May 1945 .Upon his return to the
United States , Dailey was discharged from the Marine Corps Reserve on23 November 1945 . On18 June 1948 , he re-enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve, and was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant. He remained inactive until October 1950, when ordered to active duty at the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton,California , where he served as a companyFirst Sergeant with the 4th Infantry Training Battalion. He was promoted to technical sergeant in August 1951.In October 1952, he joined the 1st Marine Division in
Korea where he earned theNavy Cross for extraordinary heroism while serving as Platoon Leader with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division on25 February 1953 ; the Bronze Star withCombat "V" and thePurple Heart for wounds received on26 March 1953 , while serving as Company Gunnery Sergeant with Company F. Dailey integrated into the Regular Marine Corps in 1953 and was promoted to Master Sergeant in August 1953.Following his return to the United States in December 1953, he was again assigned to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, and served, successively, as Company
First Sergeant and CompanyGunnery Sergeant with Communications-Electronics Schools Battalion. From July 1955 until November 1956, he served as Detachment First Sergeant with the Marine Detachment, USS "Bremerton". He next becameBattalion Sergeant Major of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton through June 1959. He was promoted to first sergeant on30 December 1955 and to Sergeant Major on31 December 1955 .Sergeant Major Dailey reported to
Houston, Texas , where he was assigned duty as Sergeant Major on the Inspector-Instructor Staff, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division serving in that capacity until July 1962. Ordered to the Marine Corps Base,Camp Lejeune ,North Carolina , he saw duty as Regimental Sergeant Major with the 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division. He deployed with the 2nd Marines during the Cuban contingency operations.In August 1963, Dailey reported to
Headquarters Marine Corps inWashington, D.C. , for duty as G-3 Division Sergeant Major until May 1964. For the next two years, he served as Post Sergeant Major atMarine Barracks, Washington, D.C. .Detached in July 1966, Dailey arrived in the Republic of Vietnam the following month, where he became Battalion Sergeant Major, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. In November 1966, he was medically evacuated from Vietnam as a result of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident. In July 1968, he returned to the Republic of Vietnam where he served as Battalion Sergeant Major of the 11th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Force until November of that year. He then served as the 3rd Marine Division Sergeant Major until July 1969. He earned the
Navy Commendation Medal withCombat "V" for his service during the latter tour.Joseph W Dailey died in Newport Beach, California on
July 5 ,2007 at age 90.cite news |accessdate=2007-07-09
url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/07/marine_dailey_070907/
title=5th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps dies
author=Hoellwarth, John
work=Marine Corps Times
date=July 9, 2007] He is survived by his wife, two daughters, fourteen grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren.Awards and decorations
Sergeant Major Dailey's personal decorations include:
Navy Cross citation
cquote|The Navy Cross is presented to Joseph W Dailey (335540), Technical Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the
United Nations while serving as a Platoon Leader of Company F, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Korea on 25 February 1953. While participating in a company raid on an enemy outpost, Technical Sergeant Dailey unhesitatingly volunteered to lead a rescue squad in an attempt to recover four Marine casualties who were discovered lying a few feet from a strongly fortified enemy-held trench. Moving quickly to his objective, he skillfully maneuvered his squad into a position from which he was able to rescue the casualties and, despite an intense hail of enemy machine-gun,grenade and automatic-weapons fire, carried out a further search of the surrounding terrain until he located and recovered two other wounded Marines. As an enemy force advanced toward his position, he skillfully withdrew his men and all the recovered casualties to friendly lines. By his exceptional courage, outstanding leadership and daring initiative in the face of continuous hostile fire, Technical Sergeant Dailey was directly instrumental in saving the lives of six wounded Marines and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. cite web|accessdate=2007-07-09
url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/valor/1_Citations/05_korea-nc/nc_08korea_usmc.html
title=Dailey, Joseph W (citation)
work=Full Text Citations for Award of the Navy Cross to U.S. Marine Corps Personnel, Korean War 1950-1953 (224 Awards)
publisher=HomeofHeroes.com]ee also
*Former Sergeants Major of the Marine Corps
*List of Korean War veterans who are recipients of the Bronze Star Notes
References
:Marine Corps
*cite web|accessdate=
url=http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Dailey_JW.htm
title=Sergeant Major Joseph W Dailey, USMC; Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, 1 August 1969 through 31 January 1973
work=Who's Who in Marine Corps History, United States Marine Corps
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