Jerry Lee Danay was born December 5, 1949, in Moline, Illinois, to John L. and Helen Danay. He graduated from Alleman High School in 1969. After graduating, he worked as an Argus carrier/salesman and also at Servus Rubber Company. He entered the Army in February 1970 and was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and Fort Ord, California.
Danay was sent to Vietnam on October 10, 1970, and was killed in action by small arms fire in the area around Khe Sanh Airfield on March 12, 1971, while serving as an infantryman with 5th Infantry Division. He was only 21 years old.
In November 1982, Danay’s parents and brother attended the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., where 57,939 dead and missing service members are memorialized and honored, including their son and brother. Before the dedication, Danay’s parents and brother marched in the Illinois delegation of the parade, attended Veterans Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, and sat in Washington Cathedral where they listened to the names of all the war dead.
Danay now rests in Section J, Row 0, Site 1019 at Rock Island National Cemetery. Honor his service at his Veterans Legacy Memorial page.
This #VeteranOfTheDay is from the Veterans Legacy Program. To learn more about the VLP, our partnerships and how we share the stories of Veterans in our national cemeteries, please visit the VLP webpage.
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