Ernest J. Dawley

Ernest Joseph Dawley

Nickname(s)	"Mike"
Born	February 17, 1886 Antigo, Wisconsin, United States
Died	September 8, 1973 (aged 86) Fort Ord, California, United States
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1910–1947
Rank	Major general
Service number	0-2843
Unit	Field Artillery Branch
Commands held	82nd Field Artillery Regiment 40th Infantry Division VI Corps Army Tank Destroyer School Army Tank Destroyer Center Ground Forces Reinforcement Command, European Theater of Operations
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Army Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Honour

Major General Ernest Joseph "Mike" Dawley (February 17, 1886 – December 10, 1973) was a senior officer of the United States Army, best known during World War II for commanding the U.S. VI Corps during Operation Avalanche (the landings at Salerno). After the landings, he was relieved of his command by Lieutenant General Mark Clark, commander of the U.S. Fifth Army, and returned to the United States.

Dawley was born on February 17, 1886 in Antigo, Wisconsin. After graduation from the Ribbon College in Ripon, Wisconsin and subsequently entered the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York in 1906, at the age of 20. He graduated four years later on June 15, 1910 and was also commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Field Artillery Branch of the United States Army on that date. Among his fellow graduates included Jack Heard, Emil F. Reinhardt, John Millikin, James Muir, Oscar Griswold, Jack McCoach and Lewis Burton. He served in both the United States and in the Philippines, attending various schools. He took part in the Mexican Punitive Expedition in 1916, serving under the command of Brigadier General John Joseph "Blackjack" Pershing.