Chief Warrant Officer (W2) (later Lieutenant Colonel) Jerome Daly, was a proven expert in aviation operations, maintenance, and the development of innovative tactics and doctrine and proven hardware systems.

In 1966 at the US Army Aviation Center he was the leading instructor of helicopter gunnery and an expert with M-3 and M-5 weapons systems. There he was not only noted for his fine skills but also for his efforts in modernizing and improving of aerial gunnery training.

In 1967 while serving as combat aviator and maintenance officer with the 121st Helicopter Company in Vietnam, CW2 Daly heroically rescued three downed helicopter crews who were threatened by two Viet Cong battalions. To conceal the area in smoke, he completed 12 separate smoke runs through a hail of enemy fire allowing a rescue ship to recover the downed aircrew members. During this action his aircraft was damaged beyond repair. For this action CW2 Daly was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

He continued to make many more significant contributions while assigned to key aviation positions, including commander of the 4th Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade. In August, 1982, he retired in the grade of Lieutenant Colonel.