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