WWI veteran waves banner of patriotism

Guy Dailey sits in his living room as he reminisces about World War I

By GREGG COONROD Kansas State Collegian Reporter The American flag goes up every day at 421 Jarvis Dr. The man who puts out the flag is one of only a few veterans left from "The Great War," World War I. It has been a long time since that war, but Guy Dailey, 85, remembers it well and can still be seen in uniform during most Manhattan area parades. Many also may have seen him in uniform at the Homecoming game against Iowa State. . "I used to go down and see them play all he time when they didn't even have a stadium and the field was all mud and bluegrass," but now, Dailey said, there are too many people and it's too much trouble. Indeed, Dailey was here before K-State had a football stadium. In fact, he was here almost before Manhattan had a K-State. In 1918 Dailey came to Manhattan from Westmoreland. "In those days there was only one policeman in town, Burt Frost, and he rode a bicycle," Dailey said. "Burt came down to collect the poll tax and asked me to pay. I said I wouldn't. Burt said I'd pay the next day. He let his job go to his head. I said “we'll see.”. The next day, May 8, 1917, Dailey enlisted in the Army. “I knew I was going to enlist all along so I wasn't about to pay a poll tax”. The Army shipped Dailey to Camp Nooton D. Baker at Fort Bliss, Texas because "Fort Riley was full about that time." according to Dailey. He was placed in the 2nd Division and trained as a mounted engineer.

"It took 22 days to cross the pond," Dailey said. His division landed at La Havre, France. "Lost our horses over on the Irish Sea; they were sunk by the Germans," Dailey said. His "first time over-the-top" came on June 6, 1911, at Vaux, France, but it wasn't his last. Dailey also came out of the trenches in the Battle of Belleau Woods, while helping to hold the southern Allied line. In the battle, Dailey received the Silver Star for gallantry inaction. "About seven or eight of us woke up one morning in front of a whole line of Germans; we hadn't got the word to fall back. I decided we'd better get, so we took out. Then for a while they wouldn't let us back on our own side because they thought we were spies." A Lieutenant recommended Dailey for the medal, but Dailey's sergeant said he should have been put down as AWOL. Dailey said he thinks today's youth have a different attitude toward patriotism than the youth in the WWI era. "I've never been able to tell if they have any patriotism. It's up to the young fellow himself, but he should respect his country and fight for it if he has to. They don't seem to consider it important. But they consider it important when they want money to go to school," Dailey said. Considering it a privilege, Dailey enlisted in the Army instead of being drafted. If another war comes, "I think we'll probably have to draft most of them," Dailey said. Besides their view of the country, Dailey said young people have a somewhat narrow minded view of education. "All they know is what's in books, that won't get them very far in this world. "Everyone should learn a trade. Vo-tech is good for anybody, young or old, Then when you get put out of a job you'll have something - something that's practical." Dailey related this idea of practical knowledge to his own experiences. "I've done about everything a kid could do I when I was young. I washed spittoons, shined shoes and sold the Saturday Blade and the Chicago Ledger. I learned to repair harnesses and shoes in my dad's shop and gave haircuts while standing on a soapbox. I got pretty good. I'd shave their necks, powder and shampoo them. That was during my last year of high school."

In Westmoreland, where Dailey learned his trades, he also had one of his first contacts with religion. "There was this preacher fellow; I really liked him. He was as common as an old shoe. Chewed tobacco. But he knew his Bible from A to Z," Dailey said.

After returning from the war in July 1919, Dailey had trouble finding work but was finally employed in a number of wholesale and grocery stores. Then, in 1928, Dailey began managing the Shell gas station at Fourth and Humboldt and became its owner in the mid 1930s. Dailey Retired from the station in 1949 and became a substitute mail carrier. And after leaving the post office in 1966, Dailey began to refinish furniture. "I refinished every stick of furniture in Dr. Moser's house over in Holton," Dailey said. He has also refinished almost every chair, table or clock in his own house. Now after a number of operations and cobalt treatments for two different cancers, Dailey is gradually retiring from refinishing. The only project in his basement shop is a small child's roll top desk. Dailey, who still clearly remembers his overseas experiences, is also concerned with current events, at home and abroad. "A person has the right to what he believes, but not to gobble up little countries," Dailey said concerning Communist countries.

Guy (Pete) Dailey 3rd from left at his Shell Station in Manhattan, KS

Back row; Betty Jean Dailey Brotherson, Dean Brotherson,

Fleda Kersey Dailey, Bruce Francis Becker, Guy (Pete) Dailey. Front row; Kathy Becker, Claire Becker, Linda Becker, Wade Brotherson

With Becker grandchildren Claire, Linda, Pete & Kathy

With Kathy, Claire & Linda

With great-grandchildren Jason Becker & Burt Brown at Tuttle Creek Dam c. 1977

In his WW I uniform.

With one of his rose bushes in Manhattan

Clippings

Wamego Cemetery, Wamego, KS