Dec 19 , 2025

Daniel Daly Two-Time Medal of Honor Marine at Belleau Wood

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood where hell had made its mark—blood, fire, and shattered bone. Around him, the air thick with smoke and desperation. The enemy surged, wave after wave, relentless as the tide. Yet Daly, grizzled and unbroken, planted himself like steel. He was the wall no man could breach.

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From Brooklyn Streets to Devil Dog Legend

Born in 1873 in Glen Cove, New York, Daniel Daly’s steel was forged long before the battlefield. Raised amid salt and grit, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1899. The streets and struggles shaped in him an unyielding sense of loyalty and duty.

Faith wasn’t shouted. It was ingrained. Daly’s life carried the quiet, steady rhythm of a man who knew suffering was part of a greater plan. His personal code: stand firm, take care of your men, and never falter—even when the world falls apart around you.

He lived by James 1:2-4—“Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds... that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”* That scripture was lived out in mud, blood, and fire.

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The Boxer Rebellion: Steel Tested in China

In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, Daly, then a Sergeant, found himself and a handful of Marines pinned against an overwhelming Chinese force. The infamous siege of the Legation Quarter in Peking tested his mettle like no other fight.

It was during a trying day on July 13 that he earned his first Medal of Honor. Recognizing the enemy closing in, Daly reportedly shouted across the battlefield, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” Those words ignited the Marines and fellow defenders.

With his rifle and unwavering courage, he held a critical position for hours. Amid the chaos, Daly was the line’s backbone, repelling assault after assault, never yielding an inch. His fearless leadership kept hope alive when defeat seemed certain[1].

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World War I: Heroism Reborn in the Trenches

Decades later, the nightmare returned—this time in Europe’s muddy quagmire. Daly, by then a Gunnery Sergeant, fortified a machine gun nest near Belleau Wood in 1918. German forces launched repeated attacks, attempting to crush the Marines.

Overrun and surrounded, Daly ordered his men to fix bayonets and charge. Alone, he fought hand-to-hand, killing enemy soldiers with his rifle and even a trench knife. He was credited with single-handedly holding the line and inspiring his unit to counterattack, turning chaos into order—an act that earned him a second Medal of Honor[2].

The French called the Marines “Teufel Hunden”—Devil Dogs—but Daly became their living legend. His fierce grit became a beacon in the worst hell on earth.

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Recognition Etched in Valor

Two Medals of Honor from separate wars. Few men in American military history carry such a title. Daly's first citation reads:

“For extraordinary heroism in battle while serving in the China Relief Expedition... Displayed great fortitude and courage in the presence of the enemy.”

His second:

“For extraordinary heroism while serving with the 73d Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action at Belleau Wood, France... Seized a rifle and several enemies and drove them back from the machine gun post.”

Comrades recalled Daly as relentless—unbreakable. Major General Smedley Butler, himself a two-time Medal of Honor recipient, said of Daly: “Never was there a braver man in the Corps.”[3]

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Legacy Carved in Blood and Faith

Daly’s legacy is carved not just in statues or medals, but in the marrow of Marine Corps ethos. Courage is not loud; it’s the stubborn refusal to quit. Sacrifice means taking the fight when no one else can. Leadership means carrying the burden so others can breathe.

His life teaches warriors today the cost of true valor—not glory, but sacrifice; not fame, but faith. He fought for his brothers, for the cause, and for the providence that comes after the storm.

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

In every fallen comrade, Daly saw redemption’s price. His story demands something from all who hear it: to stand firm when dark closes in, and to fight—always—with honor.

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Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly vanished from this world in 1937, but his battle cries still echo—raw, relentless, and righteous. His legacy is not just history; it’s a living code for those called to bear the scars and carry the mission forward.

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Sources:

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citation – Daniel J. Daly (Boxer Rebellion) 2. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citation – Daniel J. Daly (World War I) 3. Smedley Butler, “Memoirs of a Marine” (1929)

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