Missing information?

Do you have any additional information you would like to share about a soldier?

Submit

Personal info

Full name
DAILY, Paul Montgomery
Date of birth
9 April 1924
Age
21
Place of birth
Dodson, Winn Parish, Louisiana
Hometown
Jonesboro, Jackson Parish, Louisiana

Military service

Service number
O-778073
Rank
Second Lieutenant
Function
Pilot
Unit
429th Fighter Squadron,
474th Fighter Group
Awards
Purple Heart,
Air Medal

Death

Status
Killed in Action
Date of death
11 April 1945
Place of death
Marburg, Germany

Grave

Cemetery
American War Cemetery Margraten
Plot Row Grave
M 17 11

Immediate family

Members
J. Paul Daily (father)
Lena P. (Hall) Daily (mother)
Elsie Daily (sister)

Plane data

Serial number
44-23522
Data
Type: P-38J
Destination: Vicinity of Wetzlar, Giesen and Siegen, Germany
Mission: Armed reconnaissance
MACR: 14377

More information

2nd Lt. Paul M. Daily attended Louisiana State University.

The mission was the 4th mission of the day. It was an armed reconnaissance in the familiar area of Wetzler, Giessen, Frankenburg and Siegen, Germany.

Twelve P-38s of the squadron went out, each carrying 2-500 lb. bombs with instantaneous fusing. They took off at 1624 hours and were over the assigned target area from 1705 to 1830 hours. Most of the targets hit (buildings, flak positions, supply dumps, motor transports) were west of Marburg.

2nd Lt Paul M Daily, flying as wingman to Lt Murdock, was believed to be hit by flak and his P-38 was set afire. He made a successful belly-landing and egressed from the burning ship. He was observed on the ground, his clothing on fire. He rolled in the grass, but his clothing continued to burn. Murdock went down on the deck at the location for further observation, but he only saw Lt Daily laying motionless on his back.

It was later learned that Lt Daily had died of his wounds in a German hospital in Marburg.

Lt Daily was initially buried at the Temporary American Military Cemetery of Eisenach, Germany on 3 May 1945. After being disinterred, he was evacuated to Margraten and first buried in a temporary grave on 26 June 1945. He was given his final resting place on 13 July 1949.

Source of information: Raf Dyckmans, Gary Koch (474th FG Assocation Historian), Terry Hirsch, www.ancestry.com - Headstone and Interment Record / Family Tree, www.fold3.com - MACR, WWII Draft Card, IDPF

Photo source: FOHF, www.ancestry.com - Louisiana State University yearbook 1942