Daniel Emerald Gallagher-RIP

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Gillespie
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Daniel Emerald Gallagher-RIP

Post by Gillespie »

Emerald Gallaghers (87) passing nearly went missing save for the obituary in the Charlevoix Courier. He was a good man and a lifelong sailor to many ports all over the world as first a fisherman on Beaver Island and then a Ships Master in many important trips and projects. He even captained the ship that tracked missile launches for the Gemini space program and much more. Perhaps some of the family would be so kind as to post some of the accomplishments of this man. Smooth sailing to you from here on out Emerald!!
Gillespie
Posts: 1563
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 1:43 pm
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Post by Gillespie »

Someone was nice enough to send the following:

Daniel Emerald Gallagher, 87, of Cocoa Beach, Florida passed away on Friday, November 4th at home, following a long illness.

He was born on June 14, 1918 on Beaver Island, to Elizabeth (Green) and Andrew Gallagher. While a teenager, he began his career as a commercial fisherman with his father on Lake Michigan, and later sailed the Great Lakes on ore carriers. He joined the Merchant Marine as an able-bodied seaman, but subsequently earned licenses as third mate, second mate and first mate. In 1947, at age 29, he earned his master's license, at that time becoming the youngest master mariner in the history of the Merchant Marine. He was a veteran of World War II, having served aboard the liberty ships in the European and Pacific theaters. His first command was aboard the liberty ship /U.S.S. Daniel Willard/.

Following the war, he continued to command vessels for the Merchant Marine and also spent 13 years ashore as a cargo surveyor for Bethlehem Steel in the port of Philadelphia. He then returned to sailing and during the Vietnam War, commanded ships which carried supplies to U.S. soldiers in Vietnam. In 1965, he moved with his family to Cocoa Beach, Florida to assume command of the U.S. air Force missile tracking ship /General Hoyt S. Vandenberg/, which tracked missile launches for the Gemini space program and also gathered top-secret intelligence off the coast of the former Soviet Union. Following the transfer of the /Vandenberg/ to the United States Navy, he was offered but declined a naval commission. He later served as master of several commercial cargo ships owned and operated by Puerto Rico Marine Management, Inc., ultimately retiring in 1986, at age 69.

Among his many accomplishments, he was nominated for the Carnegie Medal in 1950, while living in Baltimore, Maryland when he saved the life of a baby who was choking. He was well-known everywhere he lived for his willingness to help friends, neighbors, and even strangers in need, and he went out of his way to do so on numerous occasions. He was a long-time member of Church of Our Savior, a lifelong Catholic and a lifelong Democrat. He was a devoted and much-loved husband, father and grandfather, and he will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his brother, John A. Gallagher of Michigan; two sisters, Mary McDonald and Marguerite Smith of Michigan; and two children, Michael and Mary Gallagher.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Shirley (McDonald) Gallagher, his sister, Elizabeth Wilmot; two daughters, Kathleen C. Gallagher and Maureen A. Gallagher; three sons, Daniel E. Gallagher, Jr., John P. Gallagher and Kevin J. Gallagher; daughters-in-law Susan Gallagher, Diane Gallagher and Kathy Gallagher; sons-in-law Ken Mutell and Grant Fleming; granddaughters Christina Gallagher and Annie Richards; grandsons Matthew Richards, Shaun Gallagher, and John P. Gallagher, Jr.; numerous nieces and nephews.
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