General Dalton Drive
By Sandra Clark

General Douglas MacArthur announced with “great sorrow” that Brigadier General James L. Dalton, 35, formerly of Naugatuck, was killed by a Japanese sniper near Balete Pass in Northern Luzon, the Philippines.

James “Jimmy” Dalton became one of two WW II generals to be killed on the front lines of Luzon. He was brought down by a Japanese sniper the day after the 25th Infantry Division, of which he was the assistant division commander, had captured the strategic Balete Pass in the Caraballo Mountains of North Central Luzon. He was in the pass to examine the captured headquarters of Japanese Lt. Colonel Toshio Hayashi, to see why it had withstood air and artillery blasting.

General Dalton was born on January 20th 1910 in New Britain. A short time later his family moved to Naugatuck, where he graduated from St. Francis Grammar School and from Naugatuck High School, class of 1929. He received a commission to West Point Academy and graduated in 1933 as a 2nd Lieutenant.

Dalton was assigned to Pearl Harbor in 1939 and was there when the Japanese attacked on the 7th of December, 1941. He later saw action at Guadalcanal, where he led an American force that helped to complete the conquest of the island. He actively participated in three other campaigns, New Georgia, New Britain, and Luzon. As a result of his courage, leadership and gallantry he was awarded numerous decorations, which included the Silver Star, the Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star and the Distinguished Service Cross.

In a letter to Naugatuck friend, Pete Meegan, Dalton described his view of the war. “It goes o.k. out here, Pete, like any other corner of the war, men live hard and scramble and scratch to beat the other guy – and some don’t come back. We will win this war.”

Sometime after the war ended, a bill was introduced to the Philippine Senate by Philippine Senators Narcisco Ramos and Leon Caboorrogues. In his introductory speech Senator Ramos said “It is the purpose of this to honor forever the memory of this brave and distinguished American Officer by renaming Balete Pass, where General Dalton fell, Dalton Pass. The bill passed and the Philippine Commonwealth paid honor to the late General Dalton by changing the name Balete Pass to Dalton pass.

There are few towns that can say one of its residents served as general in WW II and even fewer can say that a general also made the supreme sacrifice for his country. In his honor a street in Naugatuck bears the name General Dalton Drive, it is located in the Glendale section of Naugatuck, just off New Haven Road.

Source - Naugatuck Historical Society Newsletter, March–April 2007 issue