Daniel Daly and the Courage That Helped Win Belleau Wood

Dec 11 , 2025

Daniel Daly and the Courage That Helped Win Belleau Wood

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood alone between chaos and calm, the air thick with gunpowder and screams. He was not a hero trying to forge legend—he was a man answering the brutal call of duty, time and again, with steel in his bones and fire in his eyes. This was a warrior who never hesitated when others faltered, who faced death eye to eye and willed it back into the shadows.

Background & Faith

Born in Glen Cove, New York, in 1873, Daniel Daly's life was carved by the hard edges of working-class grit. Before the Marine Corps swallowed him whole, he was a quarry worker—the kind of labor that toughened flesh and hardened soul. His faith was quiet but unshakeable. The scripture that resonated most with him echoed through his actions:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Daly lived by an unspoken code—honor above fear, faith above despair. The war and battlefields tested every shred of this creed.

The Battle That Defined Him

The Boxer Rebellion in China, 1900. Marines were tasked with guarding the Legation Quarter in Beijing. The enemy was relentless, hope was scarce, and yet Daly rose. Twice, he earned the Medal of Honor for bravery—one citation noting his fierce hand-to-hand combat, another for defending his post under withering fire.

Fast forward 17 years: World War I, Belleau Wood, June 1918. American Marines faced the nightmare of machine guns, exploding shells, and dense forest perfect for deadly ambush. In the maelstrom, Daly’s legend crystallized in a moment of near mythic clarity. When his men were pinned down, Daly reportedly yelled to a nearby machine gun, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” Then he charged alone, firing his rifle, inspiring desperate counterattack.

He charged not from bravado but from raw necessity. Lives depended on that instant. His courage turned the tide—soldiers called it a spark for U.S. victory at Belleau Wood.[1]

Recognition

Daly’s valor was officially etched in history through his two Medals of Honor: one from the Boxer Rebellion, another from Haiti in 1915, plus the Navy Cross for World War I gallantry. A rarity—only a handful have received even one Medal of Honor twice.[2]

Peers and commanders reverently recalled Daly’s gritty leadership. Capt. William A. Donovan wrote, “Daly was the embodiment of Marine toughness and heart... a man who drew courage from the worst hell.”

The Marine Corps embraced him as one of their finest warriors. He ended his career as Sgt. Major—the highest enlisted rank—mentoring younger Marines, passing down lessons soaked in blood and brotherhood.

Legacy & Lessons

Daly’s story is not just about medals or epic battles. It’s about the marrow of combat—the terrible price paid when metal meets flesh, the unyielding will it takes to lead men into hell.

His life speaks to the enduring weight of sacrifice and the power of courage rooted in faith. Against overwhelming odds, Daly chose to act—not for glory, but because duty demanded it.

Across decades and conflicts, Daniel Daly’s example persists as a beacon for veterans grappling with scars seen and unseen. In his raw humanity, there is redemption—the kind only those who have stared into the abyss can understand.

He carried war’s scars but never bore its shame. He fought hard for those who could not, then taught others to stand.

“Come on, you sons of bitches”— not a cry of arrogance, but a summons to hold the line, to endure, to remember why we fight and why we survive.

He shows us that real courage is a choice—a vow signed in blood and faith, in the hellfire of battle, and in the quiet where heroes live on.

Sources

1. Marine Corps University, History of Marine Corps Operations: World War I, Chapter on Belleau Wood 2. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command, Recipients of two Medals of Honor 3. Robert W. Neeser, The Sword of the Marines: The Life of Daniel Daly