Daniel Daly, the Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor

Dec 11 , 2025

Daniel Daly, the Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly Jr. stood at the edge of chaos, fists clenched against the storm of war. Twice he stared death down and spit fire—once in the inferno of the Boxer Rebellion, decades later in the mud and blood of World War I. He was a living testament to what it means to carry the weight of a warrior’s soul. No man has ever earned the Medal of Honor twice for sheer guts and ruthless resolve like Daly.

Blood Forged in Faith and Iron

Born in Glen Cove, New York, in 1873, Daniel Daly came from no silver spoon or squalid ghetto—just hard work and a stubborn will grounded in Catholic values. A simple man with profound faith, he carried a code thicker than steel: protect your brothers at every cost. That code wasn’t inked on paper, but burned into flesh and spirit.

His Marine Corps career began in 1899. Daly was not a man of empty words. He believed Scripture was a weapon against despair, often whispering in the heat of battle:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” — Joshua 1:9

That verse was more than comfort. It was an order. From the Boxer Rebellion to the trenches, it shaped his fearless brand of leadership, loud in action, word, and deed.

The Battle That Defined Him: Beijing, 1900

In the summer of 1900, the world burned in China. The Boxer Rebellion had armies besieged in Beijing. The situation was dire. Foreign legations trapped; Marines ordered to break through.

Daly stood at the front lines, raw courage blazing. On July 13th, his small squad was pinned down by a swamp of enemy fire. Without waiting for orders, Daly leapt into the breach, firing his rifle, rallying men around him like a living war drum. Amid the hell, he reportedly grabbed a rifle from a fallen comrade with one hand, a grenade in the other, and charged forward.

The Medal of Honor citation reads:

“Distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while in action with the relief expedition of the Allied Forces in China.”

Daly’s courage in the Boxer Rebellion was master-class valor under fire1.

Legend Reborn in the Trenches: WWI

Nearly two decades later, the mud of Belleau Wood and the horrors of the Great War swallowed a new generation. Daly, now a seasoned Sergeant Major, moved through the European hellscape with the same fiery spirit.

His stand on June 5, 1918, near Verdun, France, was a brutal testament to tenacity. As German forces advanced, Daly’s Marines faced overwhelming odds. At Mont Blanc Ridge, a critical position, a German raid stormed through a gap in the line. Without hesitation, Daly grabbed a rifle and bolted into the enemy pack. Single-handed, he hurled grenades, fired rounds, and threw enemy soldiers back into retreat.

His Medal of Honor citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”

He crushed the attack and kept the line intact under fire2.

Recognition Earned in Blood and Sweat

Two Medals of Honor. A Silver Star. A lifetime chained to stories of valor. Yet Daly never sought glory. Thomas E. Watson, a U.S. Senator, said about him:

“No Marine is more worthily honored than Daniel Daly.”

Comrades remembered Daly as a hard man with an iron heart. He wasn’t a hero for fanfare but because when the fight came, he stood tallest.

Legacy Etched in the Flesh of Brotherhood

Daly’s legacy roars beyond medals. It’s in every Marine pushed past breaking, every veteran who wakes each morning haunted by fire and hate. He embodied the grit of front lines and the sacred covenant between soldiers.

Two Medals of Honor—both earned with bare hands and fierce will—speak of sacrifice few understand. His life reminds us:

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

In the end, Daniel Daly is not just a soldier’s name in dusty records. He is a voice in the thunder, a call to stand unbroken, to fight for the brother beside you, and to carry hope beyond the battlefield.

Let his story be fire in the blood and courage in the heart. The wars may fade. The scars always remain. But warriors like Daniel Daly—their legacy is eternal.

Sources

1. Smithsonian Institution, Medal of Honor Recipients: China Relief Expedition (Boxer Rebellion) 2. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citations: World War I