Daniel Daly, the Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor

Jan 05 , 2026

Daniel Daly, the Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor

The crack of gunfire tore through the hot air as bullets whipped past like angry hornets. Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly gripped his rifle, eyes unblinking, calm amid chaos. No hesitation. No fear. Just steel resolve. When orders collapsed into confusion, he charged the enemy lines—single-handed, relentless, a force unmatched. Fear was a luxury, and Daly was the man who paid the price, again and again.

The Making of a Warrior

Born in Glen Cove, New York, 1873, Daniel Joseph Daly was a working-class kid clawing his way from street grit to Marine Corps legend. His faith ran as deep as his scars. A devout Irish Catholic, Daly’s life pulsed with a hard-wired sense of honor and duty. “God helps those who help themselves,” he often said, eyes burning with conviction. His creed was simple: stand tall, stand true. No quitting, no backing down.

He carried the weight of brothers-in-arms, the code of the Corps sealed in his blood. Across two brutal wars, Daly’s story would echo that of countless veterans—the invisible burden and sacred pledge to lead from frontlines, to fight for those who can’t.

The Battle That Defined Him: The Boxer Rebellion, 1900

China, summer of 1900. In the steaming chaos of the Boxer Rebellion, the Marines faced an onslaught like no other. At the battle of Tientsin, Daly stood amidst the storm. When the American contingent faltered under heavy fire, retreat was whispered—and some stepped back. Not Daly.

With grit forged in fire, he grabbed the colors and rallied his men, shouting, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” The words, raw and jagged, ignited a surge. Against overwhelming odds, Daly led a charge that broke enemy lines.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in this action—a rare mark of valor for a lone Marine amid multinational forces and brutal street fighting.[1]

Walking Through Hell: World War I Valor

Fourteen years later, the Great War twisted Europe into a graveyard. The Marine Corps landed at Belleau Wood in 1918, a hellscape of mud, wire, and relentless artillery. Daly, now a Sergeant Major, embodied unyielding leadership.

On June 6, 1918, during fierce assaults, Daly reportedly seized a discarded enemy machine gun. With calm fury, he turned it against the Germans under a hailstorm of fire. His rallying cries and tenacity held the line as his Marines pushed forward inch by inch.

“One of the greatest fighting men the Marine Corps has ever known,” wrote Col. Anthony J. Drexel Biddle. Daly’s actions earned him a second Medal of Honor—a feat unmatched before or since in the Corps.[2]

Reckoning with Recognition

Two Medals of Honor. Two wars. One relentless Marine.

His first citation hailed extraordinary heroism at Tientsin, China: “…distinguished himself by his conduct throughout…exhibiting courage and coolness under fire.” The second, for World War I: “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”

The battlefield was his altar. Yet Daly shunned glory. “I don’t want medals,” he once said. “I want to make sure the next fellow doesn’t get shot.” His leadership etched a blueprint for warrior ethos that endures in every recruit trained under the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor.

Legacy of Scarred Courage

Daly’s scars were not just flesh-deep—they were carved into the soul of the Corps and the conscience of every vet caught between hell and home. He showed that courage isn’t an absence of fear, but action in the teeth of it. That heroism is messy, painful, and never glamorous.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” — Matthew 5:9

His story reminds us why men walk fire—so others might stand in the light. The battles he fought are gone, but his legacy commands every veteran to wear their scars like armor and carry their truth like a torch.

Daly’s blood-stained journey is a mirror for us all—grit forged in sacrifice, redemption born in service. He died in 1937, but his fight, spirit, and faith never will.

Sources

[1] U.S. Marine Corps History Division, "Sgt. Maj. Daniel J. Daly: First Marine Twice Awarded the Medal of Honor" [2] Military Times Hall of Valor, "Daniel Daly Medal of Honor Citations; Belleau Wood, WWI"