Spaulding High School is honored to welcome Brigadier General John N. Dailey, United States Army, Retired, to conduct the ceremonial coin toss for our Salute to Service game.

A native of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, General Dailey served our nation for 32 years as an Army officer and aviator. During two combat tours in Vietnam, he flew more than 2,500 combat hours and survived seven “shootdowns.” He earned the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts, and the Air Medal with 53 Oak Leaf Clusters, among his many military decorations.

General Dailey later commanded the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), where he helped pioneer the night-fighting capabilities that became a hallmark of elite U.S. Army aviation. He subsequently served as Deputy Commanding General of the United States Army Special Forces Command during Operation Desert Storm.

A Master Army Aviator and Master Parachutist, General Dailey has been inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame, the National ROTC Hall of Fame, the University of New Hampshire’s ROTC Hall of Fame, and was awarded the Army Aviation’s highest honor, the Order of Saint Michael’s Gold Medallion.

General Dailey and his wife Christy reside in Wakefield, New Hampshire.