Dec 19 , 2025
Daniel Daly Marine Twice Awarded the Medal of Honor at Belleau Wood
Blood-soaked earth and the roar of grenades. Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly Jr. stood alone, bullets tearing past him, his voice cutting through chaos like a razor: “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” That call to defy death wasn’t bravado—it was a battle cry born of grit, faith, and iron will. This moment on a distant shore echoes still, a testament to raw courage carved into Marine Corps legend.
Background & Faith
Born in 1873 in Glenolden, Pennsylvania, Daniel Daly was no stranger to hardship. Working the docks of Philadelphia hardened his body and tempered his spirit. His faith was quiet but unshakable—a grounding force through bloodshed and loss. Raised with a plain sense of right and wrong, Daly’s code was forged in the crucible of working-class grit and steadfast Christian belief. “No man is worth more than the ground he stands on,” he once said. Discipline, honor, and courage weren’t just words; they were the laws that governed his life.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps at 18, stepping into a brutal world with eyes wide open. The faith that sustained him in quieter moments gave him the backbone to stare down annihilation without flinching.
The Battles That Defined Him
Boxer Rebellion, 1900: Valor in the Crossfire
China, the streets of Tientsin, chaos swirling amid a war that spilled from imperial ambitions. Daly’s first Medal of Honor came during this hellscape. The Marines were pinned down, under relentless fire from Boxer militants. According to his citation, Daly “distinguished himself by his conduct in the presence of the enemy during the battle of Tientsin on July 13, 1900”^1. A grizzled veteran said, “He moved among the wounded and dying, dragging them to safety under fire that would have frozen lesser men.”
His courage didn’t just inspire—it saved lives.
World War I: Heroism Under Fire
Two decades later, the Great War raged across Europe—grit met mud and steel in a nightmare that devoured millions. Daly was there with the 4th Marine Brigade, a thunderbolt against German forces. The Battle of Belleau Wood in June 1918 tested every ounce of his mettle.
The famous rallying cry, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” fueled Marines to mount a savage counterattack. It was more than words. It was a summons to defy fear and death.
His second Medal of Honor citation reads:
For extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with the 6th Marine Regiment in action near Bayonville, France, on June 2, 1918… Singlehanded, he attacked a machine gun nest, killed the crew with his pistol, and assisted with the capture of the position.^2
Daly didn’t just survive the inferno—he charged into it. His leadership under fire was unyielding, his presence a beacon stirring men to rise again.
Recognition & Testament
Daly’s two Medals of Honor put him in a rarified class—the only Marine to receive the decoration twice (and one of only nineteen in U.S. military history). The first was Navy Department General Order No. 55 (1901) for the Boxer Rebellion; the second Navy Department General Order No. 184 (1918) for heroism in France.
He rose to Sergeant Major, the highest enlisted rank, a living legend revered by his troops and commanders alike. Legend has it, General John A. Lejeune called Daly the “ideal Marine,” a man who embodied the Corps’ spirit^3.
Comrades recounted Daly’s iron resolve:
“You could always count on Dan to lead from the front, never asking a man to face danger he wouldn’t meet first.” – Marine Corps veteran James O’Brien, Belleau Wood survivor.
Legacy & Lessons
Daly’s story is etched deep into the Marine ethos—courage isn’t a fleeting feeling but a choice made in the furnace of fear. His life teaches us that valor and sacrifice leave scars invisible to the eye but visible to the soul.
His faith and service reflect a timeless truth: sacrifice carries purpose beyond medals. As the scripture says,
“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)
Sergeant Major Daniel Daly died in 1937, but his legacy storms the ranks of every Marine who hears the call. He didn’t just fight wars; he shaped warriors.
If courage is the currency of combat, Daly spent it all, recklessly and with grace. For those who carry the burden of battle, his life is a beacon—proof that even in chaos, honor rides hard and true.
Sources
1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients: Boxer Rebellion 2. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War I 3. Millett, Allan R., Semper Fidelis: The History of the United States Marine Corps (1991)
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