Ed Daly

Edward Joseph Daly (November 22, 1922 – January 21, 1984) was an American airline executive most notable for owning World Airways, a supplemental air carrier (effectively a charter carrier from 1964 onward) which he bought in 1950 and ran until 1982. Under his leadership, the airline drew national attention for its humanitarian efforts during the Vietnam War, as well as its pioneering low fare and no-frills scheduled passenger airline service.

Early life On , Daly was born to Edward Michael Daly and Elizabeth Grace in Chicago, Illinois, United States, North America. His father, a firefighter, died when he was 15 years old. Daly helped support his family by working as an onion topper during the summers and managing a trucking firm while attending college. The trucking firm operated three tractors and five trailers when he sold it. He was a Golden Gloves boxer, developing skills that he would use in Vietnam. Daly rejected his image as a kid from the Chicago slums, although he admitted that the period after his father's death was one of financial difficulty.

Daly attended the University of Illinois, where he majored in biochemical engineering before he was drafted in 1941 to serve in World War II. Daly said it was just as well that he never completed his degree: "I was the world's worst chemical engineer." Daly achieved the rank of sergeant in the Army and served in the Pacific theater. Some details about his military service that are mentioned yet not confirmed by other sources are that Daly was a technical sergeant, that he was based on either the Marshall Islands or on Saipan and Tinian (the Marianas Islands). and that he was injured, although how is not specified.

Career After his discharge from the Army in Los Angeles, Daly worked for six months as a bank teller at Security First National Bank.

Deciding that banking was not for him, Daly then worked for Pierce "Scotty" O'Carroll at Monarch Air Service, at Midway Airport in Chicago, where he was in charge of bookings for all non-scheduled airline flights and rose to become vice-president of the firm.

Airline In 1950, at age 26, Daly purchased a World Airways, for US$50,000 , from the Beroviche Steamship Company. He purchased the airline with a disputed source of money. In 1951, it received its first government contract. In 1956, it received a contract to fly trans-Atlantic refugee flights, they were attacked with bullets and grenades. The flight crew praised Daly for his valiant effort in rescuing the refugees.

Even so, Daly was extremely modest about his philanthropy, trying to keep it out of the spotlight, in sharp contrast to the flashy full-page advertisements he purchased for World Airways to promote its business. Articles that discussed his donations often stated things such as: "Daly quietly has been giving..." and " I don't want to be mentioned, I mean it. No way." In one article describing his scholarship fund, the author wrote that Daly simply would not talk about it. He was willing, however, to discuss his efforts to provide jobs to minority persons.

Personal life In October 1949, Daly married June Chandler, a former flight attendant for Pan American Airlines. She would later help Daly run World Airways, becoming deputy chairperson after his death.

In 1971, Daly stepped down as president.

In 1982, Daly retired from business entirely due to failing health.

On , two years later, at just 61 years of age, Daly died at his home in Orinda, California, United States, North America.