Daniel Daly, Marine Medal of Honor at Belleau Wood and Boxer Rebellion

Dec 03 , 2025

Daniel Daly, Marine Medal of Honor at Belleau Wood and Boxer Rebellion

Sgt. Major Daniel Joseph Daly stood alone against a tide of enemies in the chaos of the Boxer Rebellion. Bullets stitched the air, fire crackled, and men fell beside him. But Daly—unflinching. His rifle spit death. His voice roared order. No man was left behind. This was a warrior forged in storms where honor was the only lifeline.

The Code Carved in Concrete and Faith

Born in 1873, in Glen Cove, New York, Daly was a streetwise kid turned Marine. The harsh edges of his youth cut deep, but it was faith and unshakable resolve that sculpted his soul. A devout Catholic, he carried the weight of Psalm 23 like armor—“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death...”

His life was a blueprint of sacrifice. The Marine Corps was more than a uniform—it was a sacred vow. Daly’s honor wasn’t negotiable. He believed the fight was holy because protecting the weak, the brother beside you, mirrored a higher calling. This relentless grit would define every step in his journey.

The Battles That Baptized Him in Fire

In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, Daly earned his first Medal of Honor with the simplicity of a warrior who knew no fear. With the 1st Marine Regiment pinned down in the streets of Peking, Daly surged forward—not once, but twice—in the face of being overrun, rallying his men with fierce courage and killing the enemy one by one. His citation reads: “In the presence of the enemy distinguished himself by his conduct.” That’s austerity for unyielding valor^[1].

Two decades later, against the hellish terrain of Belleau Wood in World War I, Daly’s courage blazed anew. The Marines faced machine guns, artillery, gas. It was chaos incarnate. Under hellfire, Daly shouted, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” His words were a battle cry that sliced through fear, rallying the Marines forward into certain death but unrelenting victory.

His second Medal of Honor, earned in 1918, recognized his extraordinary heroism near Vierzy, France. When his unit faced crippling losses, Daly braved relentless enemy fire to rescue downed comrades, carried wounded, and led counterattacks with equal parts grit and grace^[2].

The Medals, the Men, the Myth

Two Medals of Honor. Rarest of distinctions. Daly’s valor was not a boast—it was a living legacy etched into every Marine’s heart. The respect was born of deeds, not words.

General John A. Lejeune said of him: “There never lived a man more thoroughly a Marine.” Comrade after comrade testified they saw in Daly the embodiment of grit and the spirit of the Corps.

Even opponents recognized his ferocity. It’s one thing to face a hero. It’s another to feel that hero loves his men—not as a commander, but as a brother. Daly’s courage was a shield forged in sacrifice and unbreakable loyalty.

Legacy Etched in Blood and Honor

Daly’s story is more than medals. It’s a testament to the raw, unvarnished reality of combat—the human heart tested in the crucible of war.

In a world desperate for courage, he reminds us that true strength demands sacrifice. That fear can be faced, not denied. That brotherhood can be built in blood and redeemed in faith.

He lived and died by an unspoken code: Lead from the front. Protect your own. And carry the scars of battle as proof you stood for something greater.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

When we remember Sgt. Major Daniel Joseph Daly, we hold a mirror up to the cost of courage. To the ragged edges of valor and the heavy price of duty. His footsteps mark the path for every soldier seeking purpose—not in glory, but in sacrifice and hope.

His story is our story. His battle cry echoes still. Do you want to live forever?

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, “Medal of Honor Recipients: Daniel Joseph Daly” 2. Coffman, Edward M., The Old Breed: The History of the Marine Corps in the World War, 1948