We need your vote!

The Medal of Honor Museum at Patriots Point is nominated as Best New Museum for USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Vote today!

Congressional Medal of Honor Society

Stories of Sacrifice

or
  • Filter Recipient Database here
    • Service Branch
    • Conflict / Era
    • Additional Filters
      -  
    or

World War II - U.S. Army

Michael Joseph Daly

Details
  • Rank: Captain (rank at time of action: Lieutenant)
  • Conflict/Era: World War II
  • Unit/Command:
    Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry,
    3d Infantry Division
  • Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
  • Medal of Honor Action Date: April 18, 1945
  • Medal of Honor Action Place: Nuremberg, Germany
Citation

Early in the morning of 18 April 1945, he led his company through the shell-battered, sniper-infested wreckage of Nuremberg, Germany. When blistering machine-gun 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 three-man gun-crew with his carbine. Continuing the advance at the head of his company, he located an enemy patrol armed with rocket launchers which threatened friendly armor. He again went forward alone, secured a vantage point, and opened fire on the Germans. Immediately he became the target for concentrated machine-pistol and rocket fire, which blasted the rubble about him. Calmly, he continued to shoot at the patrol until he had killed all six enemy infantrymen. Continuing boldly far in front of his company, he entered a park, where as his men advanced, a German machine gun opened up on them without warning. With his carbine, he killed the gunner; and then, from a completely exposed position, he directed machine-gun fire on the remainder of the crew until all were dead. In a final duel, he wiped out a third machine-gun emplacement with rifle fire at a range of 10 yards. By fearlessly engaging in four singlehanded firefights 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 three enemy machine guns, 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.

USED WITH PERMISSION, COPYRIGHT NICK DELCALZO
USED WITH PERMISSION, COPYRIGHT NICK DELCALZO
Additional Details
  • Accredited to: Southport, Fairfield County, Connecticut
  • Awarded Posthumously: No
  • Presentation Date & Details: August 23, 1945

    The White House, presented by Pres. Harry S. Truman

  • Born: September 15, 1924, New York, NY, United States
  • Died: July 25, 2008, Fairfield, CT, United States
  • Buried: Oak Lawn Cemetery, Fairfield, CT, United States
 
Videos

Questions? For More Information Contact Us!