Michael J. Daly | |
|---|---|
 Daly in 1945 | |
| Born | September 15, 1924 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 25, 2008 (aged 83) Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Buried | Oak Lawn Cemetery Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1946 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Silver Star (3) Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart (2) |
| Relations | Thomas Francis Gilroy (great-grandfather) T. F. Gilroy Daly (brother) |
Michael Joseph Daly (September 15, 1924 – July 25, 2008) was an Irish-American United States Army infantry officer who received the United States military's highest decoration for valor—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. He received the medal for single-handedly eliminating 15 German soldiers including a German patrol, and destroying three machine-gun nests.
Daly resigned from the United States Military Academy after one year to fight in World War II and was sent to Europe, participating in the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach. After the D-Day invasion, he fought on to Germany where he was wounded. He received a battlefield commission to second lieutenant, returned to combat, and was awarded the Medal of Honor.
After being presented the Medal of Honor in a ceremony at the White House by President Harry S. Truman, Daly went back to his hometown, started a family, and became a businessman. He died of cancer at his home in 2008, at the age of 83.