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fontman
07-09-07, 08:09 PM
5th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps dies
By John Hoellwarth - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jul 9, 2007 18:39:45 EDT

The fifth and most highly decorated sergeant major of the Marine Corps died in Newport Beach, Calif., last Thursday, according to Marine officials.

Retired Sgt. Maj. Joseph Dailey, 90, was the oldest living sergeant major of the Marine Corps. Details about the cause of his death were not immediately available. The Daily Pilot of Newport Beach reported that he died of natural causes.

Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, the Corps’ current senior enlisted Marine, on Monday flew to Newport Beach for Dailey’s wake. Kent also plans to attend Dailey’s funeral in Grove, Utah, when he is buried there this Thursday, according to an e-mail Kent sent throughout the Corps last Thursday.

Dailey earned the Navy Cross as a technical sergeant assigned to 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, in Korea on Feb. 25, 1953, for braving intense enemy machine gun, grenade and automatic weapons fire to rescue six wounded and isolated Marines, according to his award citation.

Retired Sgt. Maj. John Estrada, in his final interview as sergeant major of the Marine Corps before Kent took over, said in April that Dailey would regularly call his Pentagon office “not once a year, but many times per year, just to call.”

“He would call and call and call,” Estrada said. “He’d say, ‘sergeant major, I’m getting my Marine Corps Times, my Leatherneck, and just want you to know you’re doing a good job.’ “

About a month before turning over the reins to Kent, Estrada visited Dailey in Newport Beach during a tour of the Corps’ southern California bases and stations.

“We pull up to the house and he was sitting in the window, his red ‘Marine Corps Retired’ hat on, blazer, ready to go out. That was such an awesome, awesome meeting. That really touched me,” Estrada said. “He is by far the most decorated of all the sergeants major of the Marine Corps; three wars, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. We took him out to dinner. I had to do that. I would have hated if he’d passed away.”

Estrada could not be reached for comment Monday on Dailey’s death.

Dailey, born Feb. 17, 1917, enlisted in the Corps in 1941 and served in its top enlisted spot from Aug. 1, 1969, until his retirement on Jan. 31, 1973, according to his official Marine Corps biography.

He was awarded the Silver Star as a gunnery sergeant with 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, during the fight for Okinawa, Japan, on May 3, 1945.

Only one month and one day after earning the Navy Cross in Korea, Dailey earned the Bronze Star with combat “V” and the Purple Heart for his actions there on March 26, 1953.

Dailey served two tours in Vietnam as a sergeant major. His first tour there with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, ended when he was medically evacuated after being injured in a vehicle accident in November of 1966. He returned to Vietnam in 1969 and earned the Navy Commendation Medal with combat “V” there as the sergeant major of 3rd Marine Division.

Dailey is survived by his wife, two daughters, 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

ssgtt32
07-09-07, 08:21 PM
RIP SgtMaj, the streets are guarded by one more, you have served your time in hell!

jetdoc
07-09-07, 08:28 PM
Semper Fi SgtMaj.

semperfi170
07-09-07, 08:43 PM
I was on active duty when he served as SgtMaj of the Marine Corps. A final hand salute to you SgtMaj and see you on the streets of heaven!!:iwo:

GySgtRet
07-09-07, 08:49 PM
SgtMaj my condelences to the Daily family and all the Marines lives he touched personally.

Semper Fi

thedrifter
07-10-07, 07:42 AM
A Marine for the books

Sergeant major fought in 3 wars and was a devout church-goer who friends say always led by example.

By Jessie Brunner

http://images.townnews.com/dailypilot.com/content/articles/2007/07/10/news/dpt-marine10.jpg

The body of Sgt. Maj. Joseph W. Dailey is carried by Marine Corp. pallbearers at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he was remembered as a dedicated father, husband, grandfather and Marine.

Joseph W. Dailey always carried the scriptures and pictures of his wife and Jesus in his pocket.

Scrawled on the back of the image of Jesus was, "Sergeant Major Joseph W. Dailey, United States Marine Corps."

His commitment to family, faith and country was demonstrated at his memorial services Monday at the Newport Beach Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Stake Center, where about 100 members of his family, his church and the U.S. Marine Corps gathered to remember the war hero who died of natural causes Thursday in Newport Beach. He was 90.

"My father was pretty much always a sergeant major, even for the 34 years he's been retired," Dailey's daughter Connie Nicholson said, recalling how her father sought out Marines wherever he went. "I'm sure he has found a few Marines already in heaven."

Born in 1917 in a small town in Arkansas, Dailey was one of 14 children and was raised humbly, with strict rules and high moral values. With an eighth-grade education, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps at 18, just after his father died, sending $25 of his $30 monthly salary to his family, who struggled during the Great Depression.

While working as a lumberjack in Oregon, he was invited to a Christmas tree decorating ceremony at the local Mormon temple, where he found both his faith and his first wife, Leone.

He was baptized into the church in 1940 and married in 1942, but not before enlisting in the Marines just a week after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

"He said, 'If we ever have a war, I'm going to join the Marine Corps before they can take me into the Army," his son-in-law Keith Nicholson told the congregation, listing off Dailey's many accomplishments in battle and the honors he received during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Dailey lived the core values of the U.S. Marines — honor, courage and commitment — and was recognized with the title of sergeant major, the highest ranking an enlisted person can receive.

His commendations include the Purple Heart, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and the Navy Cross, the second highest award given for heroic action in combat.

"There is only a small group of Marines that can say they fought in three wars and earned the decorations that Sgt. Maj. Dailey has," said the current Sgt. Maj. Carlton W. Kent, who came from Washington, D.C., to attend the services. "He always led by example and is one of those Marines who we will read about in history books for years to come."

Dailey was a loving husband both to his wife Leone who died in 1987 and to his widow, June. He was also a supportive grandfather and great-grandfather who never swore, drank, smoked, cheated or gambled.

"He loved his children and his grandchildren so much," Connie Nicholson said. "He provided them with whatever they needed and would have gone without to give them an education."

Inheriting more than his grandfather's name, Dailey Nicholson, 27, carries on Dailey's legacy as he undergoes boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, the same place Dailey completed his recruit training.

"He was one of the biggest influences on me joining," he said. "For as long as there is someone in the Marine Corps to remember him, he will be remembered."

Following a processional to the tune of "America the Beautiful," the Marine Corps Color Guard that traveled from Camp Pendleton for Monday's services gave a final, solemn salute as Dailey's flag-draped coffin was marched from the church, complete with all the pomp he earned during his 30 years of service.

He will be buried Wednesday in Pleasant Grove, Utah.

Ellie

Dave Coup
07-10-07, 11:12 AM
RIP Marine. Well done.

Semper Fidelis

BigPhil
07-10-07, 11:13 AM
Semper Fi Sgt. Maj.

Sgt Leprechaun
07-10-07, 11:14 AM
RIP, SgtMaj....Godspeed.

jetdawgg
07-10-07, 11:19 AM
SF:usmc:

dhoeftusmc
07-10-07, 11:25 AM
Semper Fidelis and Godspeed SgtMaj! Ooh-Rah

yellowwing
07-10-07, 12:39 PM
God Bless SgtMaj Dailey and his family. :usmc:

GUNNY MAX
07-10-07, 01:35 PM
Semper Fi SgtMaj.

bigdog43701
07-10-07, 02:17 PM
Semper Fi, Sgtmaj

davblay
07-10-07, 02:36 PM
Semper Fi and RIP SgtMaj, we'll all see you there. keep it safe til we join you there!

thedrifter
07-11-07, 06:16 AM
Burial services set for Marines’ fifth top enlisted leader

Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, July 11, 2007

WASHINGTON — Joseph Dailey, the fifth Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, passed away last week of natural causes, according to the Daily Pilot of Newport Beach. He was 90.

Dailey served as the corps top enlisted leader for more than three years before retiring from the service in 1973. Altogether he served nearly 32 years in the military, and remained active with the corps even after his retirement.

During World War II Dailey served with the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division and was awarded the Silver Star for actions during combat operations on Okinawa in 1945.

Seven years later he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism while serving as platoon leader with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division during the Korean War. He also earned the Bronze Star Medal with V device and the Purple Heart for actions during that war. He earned the Navy Commendation Medal for actions during the Vietnam War, and was also deployed with the 2nd Marines during the Cuban contingency operations in 1962.

The California newspaper said services for Dailey were held earlier this week, and burial will take place in Utah on Wednesday.

Ellie

davblay
07-11-07, 09:36 AM
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c7/Dailey_JW.jpg/150px-Dailey_JW.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Dailey_JW.jpg)


The only Sgt Maj of the Corps I ever Met! One fine Marine! God Bless and may we all walk in your footsteps.

ggyoung
07-11-07, 12:39 PM
I was going to go to the burial today, called Pleasant Grove, Ut. They said that they have no word about a burial for him. Whats happening?

Dave Coup
07-11-07, 12:52 PM
I think the burial was yesterday

ggyoung
07-11-07, 01:11 PM
Dave+++++++++++++No because they had 2 burials yesterday and he was not one of them. They have no burials in the next 2 days none of them being SgtMaj. Dailey.

Chumley
07-12-07, 01:51 PM
Semper Fi Sergeant Major Dailey! Thank you!

thedrifter
07-13-07, 04:42 AM
Joseph W. Dailey
Utah is a hero's final home
Highly decorated Marine laid to rest in Pleasant Grove
By Jennifer W. Sanchez
The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:07/13/2007 01:56:07 AM MDT

PLEASANT GROVE - To Marines, Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Joseph W. Dailey was a highly-decorated "legacy" who served in three wars and at one time was the highest ranking enlisted U.S. Marine.

He was never too important to talk to his fellow Marines. He wasn't a joker but was easy to approach. And he was fair, said retired Sgt. Maj. John R. Massaro.

But to his 19 grandkids, he was funny. He paid them a quarter to comb his hair. He always carried a bottle of cayenne pepper. And he loved any kind of buffet.

"Sometimes, everything had to be his way . . . but he was still the most loving man," said his 28-year-old granddaughter Auralia Wellman.

Dailey - who served as the Corps' fifth sergeant major from 1969 to 1973 - died last week at 90 in Newport Beach, Calif., of natural causes. On Thursday, about 85 relatives, friends and Marines gathered for Dailey's burial service at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery, about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City.

Dailey never called Utah home, but he was a devoted Mormon; some of his family still live here; and he was buried next to his first wife Leone Paul, a Utah native who died almost 20 years ago. His second wife of 19 years, June, also plans to be buried next to Dailey.

During the short service, a line of Marines fired three rounds.

Marine Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, based in Washington, D.C., said Dailey was one of a few U.S. military servicemen who actually fought in three different wars - World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Kent called Dailey a "legacy of our Corps."

"Junior Marines know who he is . . . because his history will live on with us," Kent said.

Dailey, an Arkansas native, dropped out of school in the eighth grade but later earned a GED. He joined the Marines in 1941 and eventually served 29 years. Dailey earned a Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Navy Commendation Medal.

He had two daughters and later three step-children. Connie Nicholson, Dailey's daughter who lives in South Jordan, said her dad loved three things: Jesus Christ (he always carried a tiny bible in his shirt pocket), his family and his country and the Marines. He often wore a red baseball cap that read: "Once a Marine, always a Marine."

"It's going to be quiet without him, but I know I will see him again," she said.

Still, Nicholson said it's going to be hard because Dailey won't be there Aug. 3, when the family gathers for her son's graduation from Marine boot camp.

"That's where he's going to be missed the most," she said.

jsanchez@sltrib.com

Ellie

thedrifter
07-16-07, 08:09 AM
The Lore of the Corps <br />
5th sergeant major of the Marine Corps dies at 90 <br />
By Keith A. Milks - Special to the Times <br />
Posted : July 23, 2007 <br />
<br />
Slogging through the final months of the Korean War, the...

ErikHeiker
07-23-07, 02:33 AM
Wow...he retired the day before I came on active duty!