Rear Adm. William R. Daly is a native of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. He is a 1993 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.
Throughout his career Daly has operated with 72 militaries or governments, and has visited 34 nations in a work capacity. Afloat, he has deployed in every sea tour. He commanded USS Farragut (DDG 99) and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23. In command of DESRON 23 he deployed to the Arabian Gulf, the South China Sea, and the Sea of Japan as the Sea Combat Commander for the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group.
Ashore, Daly served on the staffs of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Chief of Naval Operations (three tours), and the Commander, Pacific Fleet. From 2019-2021, he was the Chief of Staff to the Commander, Naval Surface Forces and Commander, Naval Surface Force Pacific Fleet. His first Flag Tour was as the Deputy J5 for Plans, Policy, and Strategy at the U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany from 2021-2023.
Daly has master’s degrees from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and from the U.S. Naval War College. He has also participated in executive education and fellowships in a variety of leadership, management, and international relations programs.
He assumed his role as Commander, Carrier Strike Group FIFTEEN in May 2023.