DATE: Sunday, November 23, 1997             TAG: 9711240249

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B7   EDITION: FINAL 

DATELINE: FAYETTEVILLE                      LENGTH:   54 lines

MICHAEL J. DELANEY

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Joseph Delaney, 37, died Nov. 17, 1997, at his residence. He was a native of Chowan County.

He was born Aug. 29, 1960, in Stronsburg, Pa., and enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 4, 1983. He attended basic and advanced individual training at Fort Sill, Okla., where he became an artillery crewman. Upon successful completion of this training, Sgt. 1st Class Delaney served as a cannon crewman with C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 5th Field Artillery at Fort Riley, Kansas, from July 1983 to September 1984. Upon completion of that tour, Sgt. 1st Class Delaney moved to Germany, where he served as cannon crewman, Noncombatant Evacuation noncommissioned officer, artillery gunner and section chief with A Battery, 2nd Batallion, 5th Field Artillery in the Federal Republic of Germany until November 1987. In December 1987, Sgt. 1st Class Delaney returned to Fort Sill, Okla., where he served as a drill sergeant until March 1990.

Sgt. 1st Class Delaney began his career as a special forces engineer after graduating from the Special Forces Qualification Course in March 1991. He moved to Fort Carson, Colo., and served in A Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) as a Special Forces Team Engineer until August 1995. During this time, he participated in Operation Provide Comfort in Iraq and contributed his expertise and enthusiasm to the successful completion of that mission. In September 1995, Sgt. 1st Class Delaney moved to Stuttgart, Germany, where he served as a Master Breacher in C Company, 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). In this capacity he participated in the successful evacuation of American citizens from Liberia in April 1996 and served on the Presidential Security Detail during the local elections in Bosnia during operation Joint Guard, and various other operations in Africa and Europe.

Sgt. 1st Class Delaney's awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster; the Army Commendation Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters; the Good Conduct Medal (fourth award); the National Defense Service Medal; the Southwest Asia Service Medal (second award); the Armed Forces Service Medal; the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (third award); the Army Service Ribbon; the Overseas Service Ribbon (second award); the NATO Medal; the Kuwaiti Liberation Medal; the Joint Meritorious Unit Award (third award); the Special Forces Tab; the Master Parachutist Badge; the Expert Rifle, Pistol and Hand Grenade badges; and the Belgian and German Parachutist Badges.

Sgt. 1st Class Delaney's interests included camping, ocean fishing, carpentry, and other outdoor activities. He pursued his chosen profession as a Special Forces Engineer with great enthusiasm, which led to the attainment of the position of Master Breacher while working in C Company, 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He was devoted to his family, and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

A funeral will be conducted at 3 p.m. today in Rocky Hock Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the Nixon Family Cemetery with full military honors. Evans Funeral Home, Edenton, is handling arrangements. KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY

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