Joseph W . Dailey Sergeant Major Joseph W Dailey ( 17 February 1917 – 5 July 2007 ) served as the fifth Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps from 1 August 1969 until he retired from active duty in the Marine Corps on 31 January 1973 . Dailey was the oldest living former Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps when he died in 2007 . Dailey served in combat in three wars — World War II , Korea , and Vietnam — earning the Silver Star for actions during the Battle of Okinawa and the Navy Cross and the Bronze Star for actions during the Korean War . He was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints . Biography . Born 17 February 1917 , in Black Mountain , Arkansas , he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1941 at Portland , Oregon and underwent recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego , California . During World War II , Sergeant Major Dailey served with the 1st Battalion , 1st Marines , 1st Marine Division , and participated in combat operations in Eastern New Guinea ; Bismarck Archipelago ; Western Caroline Islands and on Okinawa . He was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry in action against the enemy while serving as Acting Gunnery Sergeant of Company A , 1st Battalion , 1st Marines on Okinawa , 3 May 1945 . Upon his return to the United States , Dailey was discharged from the Marine Corps Reserve on 23 November 1945 . On 18 June 1948 , he re - enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve , and was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant . He remained inactive until October 1950 , when ordered to active duty at the Marine Corps Base , Camp Pendleton , California , where he served as a company First Sergeant with the 4th Infantry Training Battalion . He was promoted to technical sergeant in August 1951 . In October 1952 , he joined the 1st Marine Division in Korea where he earned the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism while serving as Platoon Leader with Company F , 2nd Battalion , 5th Marines , 1st Marine Division on 25 February 1953 ; the Bronze Star with Combat " V " and the Purple Heart for wounds received on 26 March 1953 , while serving as Company Gunnery Sergeant with Company F . Dailey integrated into the Regular Marine Corps in 1953 and was promoted to Master Sergeant in August 1953 . Following his return to the United States in December 1953 , he was again assigned to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego , and served , successively , as Company First Sergeant and Company Gunnery Sergeant with Communications - Electronics Schools Battalion . From July 1955 until November 1956 , he served as Detachment First Sergeant with the Marine Detachment , USS " Bremerton " . He next became Battalion Sergeant Major of the 3rd Battalion , 7th Marines , 1st Marine Division , Camp Pendleton through June 1959 . He was promoted to first sergeant on 30 December 1955 and to Sergeant Major on 31 December 1955 . Sergeant Major Dailey reported to Houston , Texas , where he was assigned duty as Sergeant Major on the Inspector - Instructor Staff , 1st Battalion , 23rd Marine Regiment , 4th Marine Division serving in that capacity until July 1962 . Ordered to the Marine Corps Base , Camp Lejeune , North Carolina , he saw duty as Regimental Sergeant Major with the 2nd Marines , 2nd Marine Division . He deployed with the 2nd Marines during the Cuban contingency operations . In August 1963 , Dailey reported to Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington , D . C . , for duty as G - 3 Division Sergeant Major until May 1964 . For the next two years , he served as Post Sergeant Major at Marine Barracks , Washington , D . C . . Detached in July 1966 , Dailey arrived in the Republic of Vietnam the following month , where he became Battalion Sergeant Major , 2nd Battalion , 1st Marines , 1st Marine Division . In November 1966 , he was medically evacuated from Vietnam as a result of injuries sustained in a vehicle accident . In July 1968 , he returned to the Republic of Vietnam where he served as Battalion Sergeant Major of the 11th Engineer Battalion , 3rd Marine Division , III Marine Amphibious Force until November of that year . He then served as the 3rd Marine Division Sergeant Major until July 1969 . He earned the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat " V " for his service during the latter tour . Joseph W Dailey died in Newport Beach , California on July 5 , 2007 at age 90 . He is survived by his wife , two daughters , fourteen grandchildren and 8 great - grandchildren . Awards and decorations . Sergeant Major Dailey ' s personal decorations include :