John Daley joined the Royal Canadian Navy in August 1963 at HMCS Prevost as an OSAM (Naval Airman) and completed his basic training at HMCS Cornwallis in November. He was then drafted to HMCS Shearwater to the Crash Garage as an Aircraft Fire Fighting crew member.  In July 1964, he was drafted to HMCS Bonaventure in Flight Deck Operations. He returned to the HMCS Shearwater Crash Garage in January 1966 when HMCS Bonaventure was taken out of service for her midlife refit. He was remustered to Air Bosn (AB) and promoted to Leading Seaman in August.

In March 1969, he was posted back to HMCS Bonaventure as an Aircraft Director Flight Deck Operations where he served until the ship was decommissioned in 1969. John was sent to CFB Borden  Fire Hall 70 in March and was posted back to CFB Shearwater in 1971. He served as Fire Hall Deputy Platoon Chief and was promoted to Petty Officer Class 2 in March 1972 when he was posted to HMCS Assiniboine as Senior Fire Fighter.

In October 1972, trades reorganization resulted in a remuster to Fire Fighter 651. In January 1976, John was posted to CFB Moose Jaw as Platoon Chief and Deputy Fire Chief.  He was promoted to Petty Officer Class 1 in February 1977 and sent to UNEF2 in Ismailia, Egypt in August where he served as Fire Chief until February 1978 before returning to CFB Moose Jaw. In August 1982, he was posted to CFB Ottawa as Deputy Fire Chief. He was promoted to Chief Petty Office Class 2 that October.

In 1984, John became the Career Manager for the Fire Fighting Trade. He was promoted to Chief Petty Officer Class 1 in 1985 and posted back to CFB Moose Jaw Fire Chief in July 1986. In 1988, John was posted back to NDHQ in the Canadian Forces Fire Marshall's (CFFM) office in Fire Investigations and Fire Service Accreditation.

John was awarded the MMM in 1991 and was posted to the position of CME CWO  in August 1991. After his tour, he was posted back to the CFFM Office in July 1995 as ADM(IE) CWO and Fire Fighter Trade Advisor.  John retired in Aug 2001 after 38 yrs of service.