Daniel Daly Two-Time Medal of Honor Marine and Leader

Nov 30 , 2025

Daniel Daly Two-Time Medal of Honor Marine and Leader

The enemy was at the gate. No reinforcements. Just a handful of Marines, a few rifles, and a burning will to survive. Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood there—unyielding—as chaos rained down. The air thick with smoke, the screams of the wounded, and the relentless ring of gunfire. He shouted orders. He fought. He lived to lead another day.

Beginnings of a Warrior

Born in Glenmore, New York, in 1873, Daniel Daly was a kid who learned early what hard work meant. He joined the Marines in 1899, barely twenty-six years old—but he carried with him something far heavier than years: a fierce sense of duty and faith forged in the fires of humble roots.

His Catholic upbringing didn’t soften him. It steeled his resolve, shaped his code. "Duty, honor, country," wasn’t just a phrase; it was the blood beneath his skin.

The warrior and the man were intertwined. He once said, “I have fought in many battles, but none harder than the one for a man’s soul.”

The Battle That Defined Him: Boxer Rebellion, 1900

China, 1900. The Boxer Rebellion was a crucible—a desperate siege at the legation quarter in Peking. Daly was one of the Marines trapped inside, surrounded by thousands of Boxers and Imperial troops.

On July 1, 1900, he won his first Medal of Honor by single-handedly defending the line. When the Chinese surged forward with overwhelming numbers, Daly grabbed a rifle and ran along the wall, firing until he was out of ammunition. Then, with bare hands, he allegedly beat back attackers trying to scale the walls.

“Although repeatedly wounded, he refused to fall back or even cease firing.” – Medal of Honor citation

That day, his reckless courage stemmed not from bravado but from a sacred duty to his brothers at arms.

The Hell of the Great War

More than a decade later, World War I—the bloodiest test yet—called Daly back into the fray.

In October 1918, during the Battle of Belleau Wood, Daly again showed the teeth of valor that defined him. The Marines faced withering machine-gun fire, waves of Germans trying to break his lines.

His second Medal of Honor came not from myth but from eyewitness reports and official records: Daly led repeated counterattacks against enemy forces near Soissons, France. Even wounded, he refused evacuation and kept fighting.

“Sgt. Maj. Daly displayed extraordinary heroism, inspiring his men to stand fast and fight on in the face of impossible odds.” – Official WWI citation¹

The roar of artillery, the mud, the blood—all etched lines on his face. But Daly moved forward, relentless, his leadership a lantern in the darkness.

Recognition in the Aftermath

Two Medals of Honor. One man—the only Marine to earn this distinction twice in modern warfare.[²]

But medals only scratched the surface. His peers called him “the fightingest Marine I ever knew.” Sergeant Major Daly’s career spanned over three decades, and he mentored countless young Marines, instilling in them a fierce discipline balanced with a profound humility.

His awards:

- Medal of Honor (Boxer Rebellion, 1901) - Medal of Honor (World War I, 1919) - Numerous other decorations for valor, leadership, and service

General Smedley Butler—himself a legend—said of Daly, “He carried the Marine Corps on his back. When the chips were down, he was the man you wanted.”

Legacy Written in Blood and Faith

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Daly didn’t just fight battles. He embodied the redemptive power of sacrifice. He was the scarred sentinel who understood that courage meant more than surviving—it meant protecting the vulnerable, standing when others fled, and never trading honor for comfort.

“He saved the lives of many, but above all, he bore the wounds of war so we would remember what it cost.”

His story speaks across generations. It reminds warriors and civilians alike of the raw price of freedom and the sacred duty we owe to those who bear the weight of battle.

“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

Daniel Daly’s faith was his backbone. His legacy—a thunderous whisper through the ages—that the true warrior fights not for glory, but for the unbreakable bond with his comrades and the unshakable call to serve a cause greater than himself.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps Historical Division, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War I, 1919. 2. Marine Corps University Press, Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly: Twice Medal of Honor Recipient, 2018.