DAILEY, Donald D. "Jake", WWII & Korean War Veteran

DAILEY

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 11/23/2015 at 13:06:30

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, November 05, 2015, Page 10

Portrait of a Veteran
Submitted by Ringgold County Veteran's Affairs

Donald D. (Jake) Dailey served in the United States Navy during WWII. He entered active service on July 17, 1942 and remained until Dec. 30, 1945.

He completed basic training and then was trained as a hospital corpsman at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. He then took care of wounded warriors for one year at the Brooklyn Naval Hospital in New York. While there, Jake had the great opportunity to visit with his brothers, Harold, Jack and Frank before they shipped out.

Jake departed California on January 1, 1944 and crossed the equator and International Date Line on January 4, 1944. During Jake's service in the South Pacific he was a surgical technician at such extoic locations as Fiji, Espiritu Santo, Russell Islands, Milmue Bay, New Guniea, New Caledonia, Los Negros and Manus in the Admiralty Island.

Jake was responsible for initial surgical care for hundreds of wounded soldiers.

Jake was then called back to duty on April 4, 1951 to provide support during the Korean War. Jake was retrained at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital as a Radiological Defense and Disaster Technician. He served in that capacity until his final discharge on May 6, 1952.

Jake served a total of over eight years in the defense of his country spanning two wars. He spent 35 months away from home and served nearly two years overseas patching up his fellow airmen, sailors and marines.

Jake's service earned him numerious awards including the Navy Combat Ribbon, Pacific Theatre, American Theatre, WW II Victory and the Good Conduct Medal.

We salute this Ringgold County veteran and hero.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, November of 2012