Major General Ernest Joseph "Mike" Dawley (17 February 1886 – 10 December 1973) was a senior officer of the United States Army, best known during World War II for commanding the VI Corps during Operation Avalanche, the Allied landings at Salerno, Italy, in 1943.

[3][4] Among his fellow graduates were Jack Heard, Emil F. Reinhardt, John Millikin, James Muir, Oscar Griswold, David McCoach Jr. and Lewis Burton, all of whom would, like Dawley himself, eventually become general officers.

[3][4] With the American entry into World War I, which occurred in April 1917, Dawley was transferred to the newly created 7th Field Artillery Regiment stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

[3] After arrival in France, Dawley attended a short course in l'Ecole d'Artillerie at Fontainebleau and was appointed the executive officer (XO) for the Saumur Artillery School.

For his service with the 12th Field Artillery, Dawley was decorated with the Silver Citation Star for gallantry in action near Vierzy, France.

The citation for the medal reads: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major (Field Artillery) Ernest Joseph Dawley (ASN: 0-2843), United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving with the 12th Field Artillery Regiment, 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces, in action near Vierzy, France, 21 July 1918, in reconnoitering battery positions under heavy shell and machine gun fire.

He was then appointed temporary brigadier general, [7] and in September 1941 Dawley took command of the 40th Infantry Division, an Army National Guard formation.

[1] The VI Corps was instead selected for participation in the Allied invasion of Italy, coming under command of Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark's U.S. Fifth Army.

German attempts to throw the American force back into the sea were thwarted by the artillery of both divisions, strongly supported by naval and aerial bombardment and the approach of the British Eighth Army from the south.

[14][15] Dawley died on 8 September 1973 at Silas B. Hays Army Hospital at Fort Ord, California, almost exactly 30 years since the Salerno landings.