Daniel Daly, the Marine Twice Awarded the Medal of Honor

Nov 27 , 2025

Daniel Daly, the Marine Twice Awarded the Medal of Honor

Steel and gunpowder fury twisting through the air. A lone voice rises: “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” The voice belonged to Daniel Joseph Daly—twice called to the fury of battle, twice forged in hell, twice decorated with the Medal of Honor. Not many men stand that kind of heat and come back pure enough to wear it like a crown.

Roots of Iron: A Soldier’s Faith and Code

Born in 1873 in Glen Cove, New York, Daniel Daly molded his marrow in rough neighborhoods where survival was a daily scrap. By the time he enlisted in the Marines at 17, his grit had met its match. Daly found discipline, purpose, and faith within the Corps—an unyielding brotherhood governed by honor and duty.

His faith was a quiet fortress, a grounding force amid chaos. Scripture was not just ink and pages but the lens through which he measured courage and sacrifice. “Greater love hath no man than this...” held deeper meaning after blood soaked soil. For Daly, bravery was more than courage; it was a sacred trust to those beside him—men who bled, fell, and clawed back from death's door.

The Battle That Defined Him: Hero of Two Wars

The first blaze came crashing in the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, China. The Marines were besieged in Tientsin, pinned under a storm of bullets and grenade fire. The enemy swarmed like wolves hungry for blood. Daly moved like a force of nature, rallying men, taking point—daring the enemy to meet hell.

His first Medal of Honor came from single-handedly carrying messages through enemy lines and refusing to yield ground under fire. The citation reads: “For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy...” In a war where the lines blurred between chaos and carnage, Daly’s unflinching nerve was a beacon.

Then came the Great War—World War I—a slaughterhouse unlike any before. Daly, now a Sergeant Major, spent the winter of 1918 entrenched in Bellaire Wood, France, staring into the maw of a relentless German assault. When wave after wave of enemy troops surged forward, Daly grabbed a rifle and stood exposed on the parapet, alone, and blasted hostile forces.

He reputedly shouted the same grim challenge from China: “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” His rifle barked death for hours, buying precious time for reinforcements. His fearless stand broke the oncoming tide and saved his unit from annihilation.

The second Medal of Honor followed—a rare double. Few men in history earned this highest recognition twice, let alone in such savage conditions. His citation praises: “In the presence of the enemy during the battle of Belleau Wood, Sergeant Major Daly fought his rifle with deadly effect against advancing enemy forces.”[1]

Honors and Brotherhood

Daniel Daly’s medals speak to valor unbound—two Medals of Honor, numerous other decorations. But it was the respect of his men that carved his true legacy.

General Smedley Butler, a fellow Marine and two-time Medal of Honor recipient, called Daly “the fightin’est Marine I ever knew.” That’s not empty talk. Daly led not from safe distance but from the gunfire’s eye. His courage was contagious, turning frightened recruits into hardened warriors.

In the Marines, medals are earned in blood, sweat, and sacrifice. Daly’s story is carved between the lines of brutality and brotherhood—a living testament to relentless leadership and the unbreakable Marine spirit.

Eternal Lessons From a Warrior’s Heart

Daniel Joseph Daly’s life teaches battle-worn truths: valor is rarely glamorous. It’s grim, raw, and often lonely. It demands you stand when reason screams retreat. He showed that courage is not just facing death, but pushing forward to protect those who depend on you.

“The world knows nothing of its greatest heroes.” Daly was one. Yet his faith in redemption outshone war’s darkness. In pain and ruin, he found purpose—a spark that lights the way for warriors across generations.

The battlefield forgives no hesitation, but grace waits beyond the gunfire. His story reminds every man and woman who has worn the uniform that our scars are not signs of weakness—they are the marks of those chosen to bear the fight. As it was written,

“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)

Sgt. Major Daniel Daly did not seek fame. He sought to serve, to fight with honor, and to leave behind a legacy that whispers to every restless soul on the edge: Stand fast. The fight is hard. But so is the grace that follows.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citation: Daniel J. Daly 2. Charles M. Johnson, In the Shadow of War: The Marines in World War I, Naval Institute Press 3. Smedley Butler, War is a Racket, 1935 4. Official U.S. Marine Corps archives, Boxer Rebellion and WWI records