Daniel Daly, Marine Who Won Two Medals of Honor at Belleau Wood

Jan 01 , 2026

Daniel Daly, Marine Who Won Two Medals of Honor at Belleau Wood

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly Jr. stood alone facing hell. Waves of enemy fighters surged like a tide—with nothing but grit and a rifle to hold them back. His voice was a growl cutting through the chaos: “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” Those words burned into legend, but they came from a man carved from iron, scars, and an unshakable resolve forged in fire.

Roots of an Unbreakable Warrior

Born on November 11, 1873, in Glen Cove, New York, Daniel Daly wasn’t handed a silver spoon or a soft path. He found his faith early—not in easy comfort, but in the hard gospel of duty, honor, and sacrifice. The grit of his upbringing matched the rock-steady faith he carried. He believed in something bigger than himself, a creed tougher than any rifle barrel.

His moral compass was anchored in scripture and hardened by life’s trials. One verse haunted him, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid…” (Joshua 1:9). This faith bled through the muddy trenches and smoky battlefields he would later haunt. It wasn’t just courage born of brass and brawn—it was spiritual iron, a light in the pitch-black night of war.

The Boxer Rebellion: Fire Baptism

Daly’s first Medal of Honor came during the Boxer Rebellion in China, 1900. As a corporal with the famed 1st Marine Regiment, he found himself in the maelstrom of urban warfare in Tientsin.

Amidst narrow alleys and burning rubble, Daly was one man against a revolt. When his unit was forced to retreat under heavy fire, he stood his ground, rallying his comrades with dogged determination. He charged into the fray repeatedly, carrying wounded Marines under intense enemy fire.

His citation highlights not just bravery, but relentless leadership: “In the advance on Tientsin, China... conspicuous coolness and bravery.” That coolness, that fire in his eyes, touched off a legend that would only grow. He didn’t flinch while chaos exploded around him.

The First World War: Valor Under Fire

Fast forward to 1918, deep in the trench warfare of Belleau Wood—a crucible for the Marine Corps and the soul of American combat. By then Sgt. Maj. Daly was a hardened veteran, the embodiment of battlefield experience and tough love.

During two separate actions at Belleau Wood, Daly earned his second Medal of Honor. The first was for single-handedly standing against a storm of German soldiers who broke through the wire. Armed with his rifle and unfathomable grit, he drove them back. The Marines held the line because one man refused to quit.

His second Medal came after a second fierce encounter that tested every ounce of his will. Daly’s citation notes his “extraordinary heroism” and “fearless leadership…” The battlefield was a savage grid of danger, but he moved like death itself, fearless and sure. His presence pulled men from despair and gave them the strength to fight on.

Medals Won in Blood and Honor

Daly was one of the few Marines ever to receive two Medals of Honor legitimately earned in combat, a mark not of luck but of raw, relentless valor. His decorations included not just the MOH, but the Distinguished Service Cross and Navy Cross. Few men in American military history can claim such a collection of hard-earned honors.

Fellow Marines remembered Daly not as an untouchable hero, but as their backbone.

“I would follow Daly anywhere,” said an old comrade years later. “He was the rock when everything else shattered.”

His legacy wasn’t just his medals—it was the faith and courage he instilled. Even under the brutal grind of modern industrial warfare, he taught men what it meant to stand firm.

The Lasting Fire: Lessons Beyond the Battlefield

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly Jr. teaches timeless lessons. Courage isn’t momentary—it’s the sum of every hard choice made under fire. Leadership isn't about rank; it’s about fearless action when the world falls apart.

Redemption lives in the trenches. War carves out the worst and tests the best, but buried beneath the ragged edges lie moments of grace forged in shared sacrifice. Daly’s life is a testament that valor—true valor—is anchored deep in faith, purpose, and an unshakable will to protect your brothers.

He closed his days quietly, but the battlefield he lived in still echoes with his fire.

“Do you want to live forever?” His challenge still rings out, a call to arms not just for soldiers, but for anyone who faces the darkness of life.

In the end, Daly's scars and medals are marks of a man who stood tall against death. A warrior who found redemption in the bloodied soil of sacrifice, forever reminding us: courage is a choice. Faith is a weapon. And legacy is the battle we carry after the guns fall silent.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, “Daniel J. Daly: The Man with Two Medals of Honor” 2. W.E.B. Griffin, “The Devil’s Own: The Story of the U.S. Marines” 3. Medal of Honor Historical Society of the United States, “Citation Archives” 4. Stephen L. Harris, “World War I and American Valor: The Battle of Belleau Wood”