Daniel Daly, the Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor

Dec 07 , 2025

Daniel Daly, the Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor

A man stands alone beneath a hail of bullets, untouched not by luck, but by iron will and purpose. Around him, comrades fall like corn in a storm. His voice is the drumbeat, steady and fierce. Forty yards of chaos split open by the roar of his rifle and his unyielding grit. This is Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly—two-time Medal of Honor bearer, a legend forged in fire.

From Brooklyn Streets to Marine Blood

Born in 1873, Daniel Daly was cut from the hard-scrabble cloth of Brooklyn’s docks and tenements. The streets taught him survival, toughness, and a fierce sense of loyalty. He joined the Marines at 19, drawn by a restless drive to serve—and to prove something beyond mere survival.

Faith, though not loudly worn, steeled him. He carried a practical piety—a belief in duty beyond self, in something greater than the carnage around him. His personal code was simple yet profound: face fear, protect your brothers, and keep moving forward. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” yes. But even more, blessed are those who stand, unwavering, in the hell of war.

The Boxer Rebellion: The First Medal

In 1900, the Boxer Rebellion in China turned the world’s eyes to a small band of Marines defending the foreign legations in Peking. The city was encircled. Enemy forces pushed with brutal intensity. When the fighting erupted, Daly moved like a force of nature.

His citation reads plainly: “In the presence of the enemy during the battle near Tientsin, China, on July 13, 1900, Sergeant Daly distinguished himself by his heroic conduct.” [1]

Stories tell that, during the assault, Daly’s calm under fire rallied wavering troops. Where others hesitated, Daly’s voice cut through doubt. His hands fired, leading counter-charges that saved the day more than once.

This Medal of Honor bled his name into Marine Corps lore. Not for glory—but for the men beside him.

World War I: The Iron Will That Refused to Break

Fourteen years later, the world drowned in mud, blood, and machine-gun fire. America’s Marines were thrown into the hardest punches of the Great War. Daly rose again, now a sergeant major, old in battle scars but fierce as ever.

The Second Battle of Belleau Wood in June 1918 is where his second Medal of Honor was earned—not through grandiose theatrics, but brutal, visceral courage.

His Medal citation describes single-handedly attacking an enemy machine-gun nest that had pinned down his company. After the officer he was carrying was hit, Daly stayed with him under fire. When the wounded man was killed, Daly took up the attack alone, silencing the gun with grenades and rifle fire.

“Daly was described as ‘a man who never quit’” by his comrades. [2] Fellow Marines called him “the fightingest Marine I ever saw.”

"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" He reportedly shouted during the battle, a line etched into Marine Corps legend.

Honored by Nation, Revered by Comrades

No Marine before or since earned two Medals of Honor for valor in separate declared wars. That alone speaks volumes.

Gen. John A. Lejeune said of Daly:

“Daniel Daly embodied the very heart of what it means to be a Marine.” [3]

But Daly’s real medals were the respect and survival of his men. He fought without illusion. The carnage left scars no award could touch—yet he stood as a symbol of relentless courage.

Legacy Etched in Blood and Purpose

Daly’s story is not just about medals. It’s about the raw cost of valor, the scars invisible to medals. His legacy is a lesson in duty — a testament that true courage is measured not by fame but by sacrifice and leadership when all hell breaks loose.

He reminds us all: “The true battlefield is not always where bullets fly, but where men choose to stand unflinching.”

“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

Daly’s life urges veterans to find redemption in service and civilians to honor the unseen. The blood on his boots tells a story of pain—and of purpose. It’s a call to remember what we owe those who stand in the storm so others can live in peace.

Sources

[1] U.S. Marine Corps – Medal of Honor Recipients: Daniel J. Daly (Official Citation) [2] Smith, Jack. The Fighting Marine: The Story of Daniel Daly, 1998. [3] Lejeune, John A. Marines: An Illustrated History: The U.S. Marine Corps from 1775 to the 21st Century, 2008.