The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry), [then Second Lieutenant] Michael Joseph Daly (ASN: 0-1692630), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. On the afternoon of 25 January 1945, during the attack upon the woods in the vicinity of ***, *****, First Lieutenant Daly, placing himself at the head of his 24-man platoon, led his men 300 yards across heavily shelled and bullet-swept terrain, to aggressively attack and demolish an enemy strongpoint. Despite bullets hitting only inches away from him, First Lieutenant Daly advanced to within 30 yards of a Germany machine gun, killed the gunner and enabled his men to capture the gun. His leadership was inspirational and skillful to such a degree that his platoon cleared its objective in three quarters of an hour, killing 20 Germans and wounding and capturing many others. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by First Lieutenant Daly, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Private Michael Joseph Daly (ASN: 0-1692630), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company I, 3d Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, in the vicinity of Beziers, Normandy, France, on 15 June 1944. When the enemy concentrated a heavy artillery barrage upon his company positions, Private Daly, with complete disregard for his safety, courageously moved his observation post to an exposed point affording better view of the immediate terrain and opened fire upon an enemy patrol attempting to infiltrate our lines. His gallant act contributed immeasurably to the security of his organization. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by Private Daly, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Second Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Third Award of the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry), [then Second Lieutenant] Michael Joseph Daly (ASN: 0-1692630), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with Company A, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division. On the afternoon of 4 February 1945, near ***, *****, First Lieutenant Daly stood for 30 minutes on a road in plain view of three enemy machine gunners and twenty enemy with machine pistols 200 yards away to draw their concentrated fire and enabled his patrol, over half of them casualties, to withdraw from a coverless position. Although a hail of bullets cracked all about him and ricocheted off the road by his feet, First Lieutenant Daly remained exposed until his patrol withdrew with the wounded. In addition, he fired into an enemy force which had approached to within 50 yards of his patrol, killing two and alerting his own men to fight off the enemy. The gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty demonstrated by First Lieutenant Daly, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.