Dan Daly, the Two-Medal Marine at Tientsin and St. Mihiel

Feb 12 , 2026

Dan Daly, the Two-Medal Marine at Tientsin and St. Mihiel

Blood on my hands. Glory in my heart. That was Dan Daly, a mountain of a man carved from the hardest steel the Corps ever wielded. Two Medals of Honor, bloodied banners of courage—and a soul anchored by faith and unyielding duty. His story starts in the mud and fire of wars that tested America’s mettle. But it was his relentless spirit that left a mark far beyond the gun smoke.

Born Into Battle, Raised on Faith

Daniel Joseph Daly came screaming into this world on June 11, 1873, in Glen Cove, New York. His life was carved out of the immigrant grit and salt-of-the-earth toughness only an Irish-American neighborhood could forge. He joined the Marines in 1899, seeking more than just a paycheck—he wanted purpose. A rough beginning, sure, but he carried a fierce personal code shaped by Catholic faith and a deep belief that bravery was a calling, not a choice.

His devotions weren’t just whispered prayers; they were fuel in the night watch. "The Lord is my rock," was more than scripture to Daly—it was armor. The man that would stand alone against enemy waves prayed for strength to do what the job demanded and for mercy when the cost was too high. His grit was underpinned by a rare humility that made him a living testament to Psalm 144:1—“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.”

The Boxer Rebellion: The First Medal of Honor

Summer 1900, China. The streets of Tientsin raged with fire and fear. Daly and his Marines were pinned down behind walls assaulted by Boxer militants determined to wrest foreign powers from their city.

The order was clear: take the walls or die trying. Daly took it seriously.

Two times that brutal siege showed us what kind of man he was. Twice, he stepped beyond the thin blue line, scaling the walls, clearing enemy nests—once single-handedly leading a charge that saved a squad cut off and bleeding out.

His citation for that first Medal of Honor reads like a prayer for fearless valor: "In the presence of the enemy, he distinguished himself by meritorious conduct." But it was more than conduct—it was a goddamn legend born of lead and sweat.[1]

World War I: St. Mihiel and the Second Medal of Honor

Fourteen years later, a grimmer war roared across Europe’s trench lines. The Marine Corps sent Sgt. Major Daly, now a seasoned veteran, to lead men at St. Mihiel in 1918. The battle was hell—mud, wire, endless artillery. But it was here Daly’s legend bled brightest.

On September 15, near the village of Exermont, his unit staggered under heavy fire. Daly didn’t just encourage—he charged forward alone, bayonet first, rallying the men with guttural roars. When an entire machine gun nest threatened to break their line, Daly leapt over the trench parapet and stormed the post alone.

His desperate solo assault saved the day.

His second Medal of Honor citation reads:

“For extraordinary heroism while advancing against the enemy. Sgt. Major Daly unhesitatingly exposed himself to grab and carry captured enemy guns, inspire his officers and men, and personally direct the fighting that led to the capture of the position.”[2]

Old Dan Daly was famous for saying, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” It was no hollow boast. It was a battle cry driven by a fierce love for his men and country.

Warrior Honored: The Scarred Legacy

Two Medals of Honor place Daly in an exclusive brotherhood—only a handful of Marines have ever done this. His decorations include the Navy Cross and numerous campaign medals, but these symbols only scratch the surface of his true honor.

Comrades remember a man grizzled and gruff but with a heart worn clearly on his scarred sleeve. “He led from the front like a legend,” said Major General Smedley Butler, himself a two-time Medal of Honor recipient. Daly was a living drama of leadership—the kind that demands respect born in blood, not words.

Redemptive Aftermath: Lessons Beyond the Battlefield

Daly’s final years kept him close to the Corps, mentoring young Marines, preaching toughness balanced with humility. His legacy is not just medals or battle tales. It is redemption—the sacred understanding that heroism demands sacrifice, that courage is forged in pain, and that every scar holds a story of survival.

His life echoes Isaiah 40:31: “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” Daly’s wings were battered and worn, but they never failed to lift him.

To honor Daniel Joseph Daly is to honor the blood-soaked path of every Marine who ever stood against impossible odds. His story is a prism reflecting truth: valor without faith is hollow; sacrifice without purpose is lost.

And so, the great Sgt. Major Daly’s legacy remains—etched in the bones of the Corps, whispered in the prayers of warriors, a thunderous reminder that courage calls out the soul’s deepest endurance.

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command, Medal of Honor Recipients - Boxer Rebellion 2. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Citations: World War I