Michael J. Daly
Encyclopedia
Michael J. Daly was a United States Army
officer
who received the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor
—for his actions in World War II
. He received the medal for single-handedly eliminating 15 German soldiers, an entire German patrol and destroying three machine-gun nests.
He resigned from the United States Military Academy
after one year to fight in the war and was sent to Europe
, participating in the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach
. After the D-Day invasion he was sent to fight in Germany
where he was wounded, received a battlefield commission to second lieutenant and participated in the action that would get him the Medal of Honor.
After being presented the Medal of Honor in a ceremony at the White House
by President Harry S. Truman
he went back to his home town, made a family and became a businessman. He died of cancer at his home in 2008, at the age of 83.
, but resided his entire life in Fairfield, Connecticut
, except for one year he and his wife lived in County Wicklow, Ireland. His father, Colonel Paul Daly, was a World War I
and World War II veteran who was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross
and was also nominated for the Medal of Honor twice, but did not receive it. His great-grandfather Thomas F. Gilroy
was an Irish immigrant who was the mayor of New York City in the 1890s. Michael Daly had three brothers, Gilroy
, Daniel and Dermot and three sisters, Madeleine Potter, Bevin Patterson and Alison Gerard.
in 1941, he joined the Army from Fairfield's Southport
neighborhood in 1942 and attended the United States Military Academy
in West Point, New York
, where he was a classmate of George Patton IV
. While he was at the academy he was, by his own admission, a mediocre student. After having severe disciplinary problems and continuously being placed on special confinement and walking off punishment tours he resigned his appointment after only one year to fight in World War II. Sent to Europe
as an eighteen-year-old infantry
private
, he trained in England
and took part in the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach
with the 1st Infantry Division. His father also volunteered to serve in the war and was sent first to Guadalcanal
, then as a regiment
al commander to France
.
After participating in the drive through France, he was wounded in Aachen
, Germany
, and sent to England to recover. He rejoined the front lines as a part of the 3rd Infantry Division and was given a battlefield commission to second lieutenant. By April 18, 1945, he was a first lieutenant in command of Company A, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, 7th Army. On that day, he led his company in their advance through Nuremberg
, Germany
, and single-handedly engaged German forces several times. As his unit passed a city square, a German machine gun opened fire, causing several casualties. Daly rushed the position and killed the three gunners. Advancing ahead of his men, he came across a German patrol preparing to use rocket launchers to ambush American tanks. He again attacked alone and, despite being outnumbered and outgunned, killed all six patrol members. When a machine gun opened fire at close range, he picked up a dead man's rifle and killed the two-man German crew. The next day, on April 19, he was shot through the head; a bullet entered at his ear and exited from the opposite cheek. He was sent to England and eventually the United States to recuperate. At about the same time, his father, who had been wounded in France, was also being evacuated to the United States.
He was subsequently promoted to captain
and, on August 23, 1945, awarded the Medal of Honor. Although still recovering from his wounds, for which he would continue to receive treatment until mid-1946, he attended a ceremony at the White House
where President Harry S. Truman
formally presented him with the medal. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Daly received three Silver Star
s, two Purple Heart
s and a Bronze Star
with valor device
. Commenting on his Medal of Honor citation in a speech at Fairfield High School sometime later, Daly said, "We all lose our courage at times. It is something we pray for in the morning, that God will give us the strength and courage to do what is right."
in Bridgeport
, serving on the hospital's board of directors
for more than thirty years, as well as being a trustee
and helping to obtain financial support for the hospital. A Democrat
, he also supported the political careers of his brother, Judge T. F. Gilroy Daly
, and friend, city politician John J. Sullivan, but dismissed suggestions to run for office himself.
Daly married Margaret Wallace in the 1950s and together they had two children, Deirdre and Michael. His brother, T. F. Gilroy Daly
, who died in 1996, was a federal judge in Connecticut who had gained prominence as a lawyer for helping win the exoneration of Peter Reilly, who had been convicted of killing his mother in a highly publicized case of the 1970s. Daly died of pancreatic cancer
at his Fairfield home on July 25, 2008. His funeral was held on July 29, 2008 at St. Pius X Church in Fairfield and he was buried at Oak Lawn Cemetery with full military honors. The 10th Mountain Division
of Fort Drum
and the United States Military Academy of West Point performed the ceremony. The ceremony included a three round volley and West Point's bugle sounding "Taps
" as preludes to a military helicopter flying over the cemetery.
, Bridgeport, Connecticut
plans to name its new emergency wing in his honor.
The legislation, House Bill No. 5711 reads as follows:
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
who received the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
—for his actions in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He received the medal for single-handedly eliminating 15 German soldiers, an entire German patrol and destroying three machine-gun nests.
He resigned from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
after one year to fight in the war and was sent to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, participating in the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
. After the D-Day invasion he was sent to fight in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
where he was wounded, received a battlefield commission to second lieutenant and participated in the action that would get him the Medal of Honor.
After being presented the Medal of Honor in a ceremony at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
by President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
he went back to his home town, made a family and became a businessman. He died of cancer at his home in 2008, at the age of 83.
Early life
Daly was born September 15, 1924 in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, but resided his entire life in Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
, except for one year he and his wife lived in County Wicklow, Ireland. His father, Colonel Paul Daly, was a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II veteran who was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
and was also nominated for the Medal of Honor twice, but did not receive it. His great-grandfather Thomas F. Gilroy
Thomas F. Gilroy
Thomas Francis Gilroy , born in Ireland, was mayor of New York 1893-94 and Commissioner of Public works 1889-93. He was also a member of Tammany Hall. He had a daughter, Frances E. Gilroy, who married Edward A. Maher, Jr...
was an Irish immigrant who was the mayor of New York City in the 1890s. Michael Daly had three brothers, Gilroy
T. F. Gilroy Daly
T. F. Gilroy Daly was a lawyer and United States District Judge in Connecticut who, as a trial lawyer, was noted for winning the freedom of a man wrongly convicted of murder in 1976. He served as District Judge from 1977-1996....
, Daniel and Dermot and three sisters, Madeleine Potter, Bevin Patterson and Alison Gerard.
Military service
After graduating from Georgetown Preparatory SchoolGeorgetown Preparatory School
Georgetown Preparatory School is an American Jesuit college preparatory school for grades 9 through 12. It is the oldest all boys school in the United States, and the only Jesuit boarding school in the country...
in 1941, he joined the Army from Fairfield's Southport
Southport, Connecticut
Southport is a section and census-designated place of the town of Fairfield, Connecticut, located along Long Island Sound between the Mill River and Sasco Brook . As of the 2010 census it had a population of 1,585...
neighborhood in 1942 and attended the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
, where he was a classmate of George Patton IV
George Patton IV
George Smith Patton, IV was a Major General in the United States Army and the son of World War II General George Patton.-Military biography:...
. While he was at the academy he was, by his own admission, a mediocre student. After having severe disciplinary problems and continuously being placed on special confinement and walking off punishment tours he resigned his appointment after only one year to fight in World War II. Sent to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as an eighteen-year-old infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
, he trained in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and took part in the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
with the 1st Infantry Division. His father also volunteered to serve in the war and was sent first to Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
, then as a regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
al commander to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and sent to England to recover. He rejoined the front lines as a part of the 3rd Infantry Division and was given a battlefield commission to second lieutenant. By April 18, 1945, he was a first lieutenant in command of Company A, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, 7th Army. On that day, he led his company in their advance through Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and single-handedly engaged German forces several times. As his unit passed a city square, a German machine gun opened fire, causing several casualties. Daly rushed the position and killed the three gunners. Advancing ahead of his men, he came across a German patrol preparing to use rocket launchers to ambush American tanks. He again attacked alone and, despite being outnumbered and outgunned, killed all six patrol members. When a machine gun opened fire at close range, he picked up a dead man's rifle and killed the two-man German crew. The next day, on April 19, he was shot through the head; a bullet entered at his ear and exited from the opposite cheek. He was sent to England and eventually the United States to recuperate. At about the same time, his father, who had been wounded in France, was also being evacuated to the United States.
He was subsequently promoted to captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
and, on August 23, 1945, awarded the Medal of Honor. Although still recovering from his wounds, for which he would continue to receive treatment until mid-1946, he attended a ceremony at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
where President Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
formally presented him with the medal. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Daly received three Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
s, two Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
s and a Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
with valor device
Valor device
The Valor device is an award of the United States military which is a bronze attachment to certain medals to indicate that it was received for valor...
. Commenting on his Medal of Honor citation in a speech at Fairfield High School sometime later, Daly said, "We all lose our courage at times. It is something we pray for in the morning, that God will give us the strength and courage to do what is right."
Later life
After the war, he returned to Fairfield and began a business career. Daly worked very briefly as a salesman for an oil company before starting his own manufacturer's representative business, Michael Daly & Associates, in the Southport neighborhood. He was also involved in the operations of St. Vincent's Medical CenterSt. Vincent's Medical Center (Bridgeport)
St. Vincent's Medical Center is a 397-bed acute care Catholic hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut.The hospital is now controlled by Ascension Health, the nation's largest Catholic and largest nonprofit health system, which is in turn controlled by several religious orders, including the Daughters...
in Bridgeport
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
, serving on the hospital's board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
for more than thirty years, as well as being a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
and helping to obtain financial support for the hospital. A Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he also supported the political careers of his brother, Judge T. F. Gilroy Daly
T. F. Gilroy Daly
T. F. Gilroy Daly was a lawyer and United States District Judge in Connecticut who, as a trial lawyer, was noted for winning the freedom of a man wrongly convicted of murder in 1976. He served as District Judge from 1977-1996....
, and friend, city politician John J. Sullivan, but dismissed suggestions to run for office himself.
Daly married Margaret Wallace in the 1950s and together they had two children, Deirdre and Michael. His brother, T. F. Gilroy Daly
T. F. Gilroy Daly
T. F. Gilroy Daly was a lawyer and United States District Judge in Connecticut who, as a trial lawyer, was noted for winning the freedom of a man wrongly convicted of murder in 1976. He served as District Judge from 1977-1996....
, who died in 1996, was a federal judge in Connecticut who had gained prominence as a lawyer for helping win the exoneration of Peter Reilly, who had been convicted of killing his mother in a highly publicized case of the 1970s. Daly died of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
at his Fairfield home on July 25, 2008. His funeral was held on July 29, 2008 at St. Pius X Church in Fairfield and he was buried at Oak Lawn Cemetery with full military honors. The 10th Mountain Division
10th Mountain Division
The 10th Mountain Division is a light infantry division of the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. It is a subordinate unit of the XVIII Airborne Corps and the only division-sized element of the U.S. Army to specialize in fighting under harsh terrain and weather conditions...
of Fort Drum
Fort Drum
Fort Drum is a United States Army base in New York near the Canadian border.Fort Drum may also refer to:*Fort Drum, Florida, a nearly-uninhabited town in the United States*Fort Drum , Philippines...
and the United States Military Academy of West Point performed the ceremony. The ceremony included a three round volley and West Point's bugle sounding "Taps
Taps
"Taps" is a musical piece sounded by the U.S. military nightly to indicate that it is "lights out". The tune is also sometimes known as "Butterfields Lullaby", or by the lyrics of its second verse, "Day is Done". It is also played during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet...
" as preludes to a military helicopter flying over the cemetery.
Honors and awards
Due to the National Personnel Records Center fire of 1973, Michael J. Daly's exact awards and honors as recorded by the military are unknown; his was one of the approximately 16-18 million people whose records were destroyed in the blaze. As a consequence, what follows below is an incomplete list of the awards either confirmed or thought to have been awarded to Daly for his service.| Medal of Honor Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her... |
Silver Star Silver Star The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy.... with two gold award stars |
Bronze Star Medal Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the... with Valor device |
Purple Heart Medal"Based on the image displayed in the infobox it appears that Daly had other medals as well as those shown and listed here. Although not mentioned specifically in any reference it is probable that he also received the World War II Victory Medal World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of... in addition to the medals listed and displayed here.” |
Medal of Honor citation
Captain Daly's official Medal of Honor citation reads:Early in the morning of 18 April 1945, he led his company through the shell-battered, sniperSniperA sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
-infested wreckage of Nuremberg, Germany. When blistering machinegun fire caught his unit in an exposed position, he ordered his men to take cover, dashed forward alone, and, as bullets whined about him, shot the 3-man guncrew with his carbineCarbineA carbine , from French carabine, is a longarm similar to but shorter than a rifle or musket. Many carbines are shortened versions of full rifles, firing the same ammunition at a lower velocity due to a shorter barrel length....
. Continuing the advance at the head of his company, he located an enemy patrol armed with rocket launchers which threatened friendly armorArmoured warfareArmoured warfare or tank warfare is the use of armoured fighting vehicles in modern warfare. It is a major component of modern methods of war....
. He again went forward alone, secured a vantage point and opened fire on the Germans. Immediately he became the target for concentrated machine pistolMachine pistolA machine pistol is a handgun-style, often magazine-fed and self-loading firearm, capable of fully automatic or burst fire, and normally chambered for pistol cartridges. The term is a literal translation of Maschinenpistole, the German term for a hand-held automatic weapon...
and rocket fire, which blasted the rubble about him. Calmly, he continued to shoot at the patrol until he had killed all 6 enemy infantrymen. Continuing boldly far in front of his company, he entered a park, where as his men advanced, a German machinegun opened up on them without warning. With his carbine, he killed the gunner; and then, from a completely exposed position, he directed machinegun fire on the remainder of the crew until all were dead. In a final duel, he wiped out a third machinegun emplacement with rifle fire at a range of 10 yards. By fearlessly engaging in 4 single-handed fire fights with a desperate, powerfully armed enemy, Lt. Daly, voluntarily taking all major risks himself and protecting his men at every opportunity, killed 15 Germans, silenced 3 enemy machineguns and wiped out an entire enemy patrol. His heroism during the lone bitter struggle with fanatical enemy forces was an inspiration to the valiant Americans who took Nuremberg.
St. Vincent's Medical Center emergency wing
St. Vincent's Medical CenterSt. Vincent's Medical Center (Bridgeport)
St. Vincent's Medical Center is a 397-bed acute care Catholic hospital in Bridgeport, Connecticut.The hospital is now controlled by Ascension Health, the nation's largest Catholic and largest nonprofit health system, which is in turn controlled by several religious orders, including the Daughters...
, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
plans to name its new emergency wing in his honor.
Captain Michael J. Daly Highway
Connecticut State Representative Carl Dickman proposed legislation to name a section of Interstate Route 95 from Bridgeport to Westport north bound and south bound for Captain Daly. When proposing this bill Representative Dickman said:This naming of the highway would honor a well-respected Fairfield resident for his extraordinary service to the people of the United States. I encourage the legislature to adopt this proposal.
The legislation, House Bill No. 5711 reads as follows:
AN ACT RENAMING A SEGMENT OF INTERSTATE ROUTE 95 FROM BRIDGEPORT TO WESTPORT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
That the segment of Interstate Route 95 from Bridgeport to Westport north bound and south bound be renamed the "Captain Michael J. Daly Highway".
Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame
In 2007, Daly along with nine other Connecticut veterans were inducted into the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame and at the time he was one of only two living inductees who had received the Medal of Honor.Mr. Daly is a U.S. Army veteran of World War II who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for extreme heroism while leading his infantry company through the shell-battered, sniper-infested wreckage of Nuremberg, Germany, in April 1945. Following his distinctive military service, he became very involved in veterans’ and community affairs, serving on the Board of Directors of St. Vincent’s Hospital and founding the hospital’s Daly Foundation. He has also providing decades of volunteer service to handicapped children, the Town of Fairfield and served as a member of the Connecticut Judicial Review Council.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II