William “Bill" Dailey at his 98th birthday party.
By Becky Long
Publisher
Tuesday’s July Fourth Parade served as a venue to honor the service and memory of decorated World War II veteran William “Bill Dailey,” who died Saturday, July 1 at the age of 98.
The crowd attending Tuesday’s festivities grew silent as they paused for a collective show of respect for the man who American Legion Chaplain Carl Maxwell described as a “true hero. “
“You hear the word hero used all the time, but in Bill’s case, it’s true. He was a hero,” Maxwell said.
Dailey was sworn into the Army on March 17, 1943. He served in the 164th Infantry and his service resulted in a multitude of medals and honors.
He served on the front lines in the South Pacific, according to a veterans book, “A Walk Though Hell,” written by Deby Jo Ferguson.
“We ran into some heavy enemy fire and were forced to withdraw after suffering six casualties. I looked up to see a hand grenade coming right toward me. Suddenly I jumped to my left and rolled, but was wounded when the grenade blew me over a cliff, and I rolled down a steep hill,” he said.
Dailey sustained shrapnel wounds to the neck and arm, but made it back to his squad and supervised the evacuation of casualties. That heroism earned him the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
He received another Bronze Star, WWII Victory Medal, Good Conduct Medal and Rifle and Marksmanship Medal with Bar. He was also awarded a letter of commendation for bravery in action after this battle. Dailey received the Asiatic Pacific Theater Campaign Medal, Bronze Service Star with one oak leaf cluster and Combat Infantryman Badge.
“The military sent me to the hospital and that was the last time I saw combat,” Dailey said.
He returned home after spending at least 450 days in combat.
According to The National WWII Museum, there are still 5,061 World War II veterans living in North Carolina, the ninth most of all states.
“I really feel that living in the mountains helped me get through the war,” Dailey said in the book. “That and the prayers of my mother who prayed every day. She gave me a little Bible that I carried with me all through combat and I still have it. I tried for years to get the war out of my mind, but it’s difficult. I saw so much killing that I don’t have much to do with guns even today and for some reason the older I get the more the memories stay in my mind.”
Dailey would have turned 99 on Nov. 1, 2023. In Clay County flags were lowered to half staff to honor their native son and war hero. Funeral services were Wednesday, July 5 in the chapel of Ivie Funeral Home. Rev. Doyce Waters officiated.