Navy 1st Class Cook Jim Dailey was born on March 15, 1901, however there is little known or records showing any information about his early life. We know that he enlisted in the US Navy as a cook on August 10, 1935, and after his recruit training was sent to school and then to the fleet. He was first stationed aboard the converted AD-11 USS Altair, which was a destroyer tender. The ship was built in 1918 at the end of WWI, but not commissioned until 1919. On February 25, 1941, he was ordered aboard the destroyer DD-412, USS Hamman that had been launched in 1939. They spent most of their time in training exercises along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts although they were in Iceland when the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor. They raced back to the states and joined up with Admiral Frank Fletcher's Task Force heading for the South Pacific in February 1942.
On May 8, 1942, Dailey and the Hammann fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea, screening the Lexington while providing antiaircraft fire against the Japanese torpedo planes and dive bombers. The Lexington was sunk during the battle and the Hammann was ordered to rescue the survivors. The destroyer picked up nearly 500 men from the water before the "Lady Lex" was finally torpedoed by the USS Phelps. After making repairs at Pearl Harbor, the Hammann got underway on May 30th heading for her date with destiny at the Battle of Midway. As the American planes fought and died above the Japanese Fleet, the enemy was desperately searching for the American Fleet. During the battle of June 4, 1942, the Hammann was providing antiaircraft fire for the carrier Yorktown. helping to shoot down many of the attacking aircraft. However, the carrier was heavily damaged when she took two aerial torpedoes. The Hammann was quickly ordered to pick up survivors and transfer them to the larger ships. The next morning an effort was made to save the Yorktown, so a damage control team returned and attempted to tow her to safety.
On June 6th, the Hammann came alongside to transfer additional personnel and provide power cables plus hoses and water to fight the fires. They crew was finally making progress when the enemy submarine I-168 dodged the circling destroyers and fired four torpedoes of which one missed. Two others passed under Hammann and hit the Yorktown, while the fourth struck the Hammann amidships, breaking her in half. As the debris from the explosion rained down as the ships pulled apart, it was apparent that the Hammann was doomed. Life rafts were lowered and rescue efforts by surrounding ships commenced. But the Hammann sank, bow first, in just four minutes. Following the sinking there was a violent underwater explosion, which killed many of the sailors still in the water. A total of 80 sailors, including Pensacolian Jim Dailey, was killed.
We also know that his wife was Rosalie Dailey who was notified by the War Department at her home at 1105 West LaRua Street. She was informed that her husband had been killed in action and his body was never recovered so there would be no burial. Alas, another gold star was placed in the window of yet another Pensacola widow's home.
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