2ndLt. Paul M. Daily

Hello,
is anybody here, who have informations and/or photographes of 2ndLt. Paul M. Daily from 429. Fighter Squadron.
Lt. Daily killed in action on March 25th. 1945 near Nesselbrunn west of Marburg (Lahn). His aircraft the P-38 J-20 "Lightning" with the serialno. 44-23522 burned after the crash.
Lt. Daily was born on April 9th. 1924 in Monroe, Louisiana.
He is buried on the Margraten cemetery / Netherlands.
Thank you very much,
Dirk

P-38J-20-LO 44-23522 MACR #14377

 
Terry T.

From the ABMC site:





Paul M. Daily


Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Service # O-778073
429th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group

Entered the Service from: Louisiana
Died: 25-Mar-45
Buried at: Plot M Row 17 Grave 11
Netherlands American Cemetery
Margraten, Netherlands

Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart

Associate member of the Awon
http://www.awon.org/
__________________

http://www.iphpbb.com/board/fs-81805422nx79380.html

Hello Dirk,
 
The aircraft information for Daily is correct. The only thing I can add is that it was coded "7Y-H". The mission Daily was KIA on was the 4th mission of the day. It was an armed recce in the familiar area of Wetzlar, Giessen, Frankenburg, and Siegen. 12 429th P-38s went out on this one. Each ship had 2 x 500 lb. bombs with instantaneous fuzing. 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. 2Lt. Paul M. Daily, flying as wingman to Lt. Murdock, was believed 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 (map coordinates G-7057) for further observation, but he only saw Lt. Daily laying motionless on his back. It was later learned on 11 Apr 45 that Lt. Daily had died of his wounds in a German hospital in Marburg.
 
I only have one poor quality photo of Daily that is his escape photo that pilots kept with them in case they were shot down. I can scan and email it to you. Let me know where I can send it. Hope this helps.
 
Cheers, Gary Koch (474th FG Association Historian)

Hello Gary,
thank you very much for your help. I got the photo showing Lt. Daily, last week from Horst.
I hope you have now the right crashplace on your map, Horst sent to me.
I was last there more then 10 years ago and we found on the field only little parts, because the "Lightning" made a belly landing and crashed not in the earth.
Best wishes from germany,
Dirk

This is my first posting on AAFF. I arrived here because while researching something else I stumbled upon Paul Daily's MACR and wanted to learn more. The graphic description of that young man attempting to extinguish his burning clothes was quite emotionally evocative having lost a good buddy in a similar manner. In a couple of months I will be spending some time in the Netherlands so I will visit Margraten.

From the rest of the postings I take it that there are no photos of Daily's Lightning or any of him other than his escape kit photo?

Blue Skies

Troy White

Hi Troy,

Welcome to our forum! As for Daily, I am still seeking any and all information on him. I have sent correspondence to his hometown in Louisiana but have yet to receive any answers. I have yet to find any additional photos of him or his P-38, but I am always looking. BTW, I would very much appreciate any photos of Daily's headstone at Margraten if you plan on going there.  There are also five other 474th FG pilots buried there that I would appreciate photos of their headstones as well. Let me know if you have any questions about the 474th and I'll do my best to answer them.

Cheers, Gary Koch