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

Nov 12 , 2025

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

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood in the mud-soaked chaos of Peking, his rifle clutched steady as the Boxer Rebellion’s siege tightened like a noose. Bullets tore through the air, fire flashed, and men fell around him. Yet there he was—demanding more from himself than fear could give. “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?”, he growled. That voice—gruff, defiant—kindled something raw in his Marines. It was a cry not just for survival but for honor, amid horror.

The Forge of a Hard Life

Born in Glen Cove, New York, in 1873, Daniel Daly’s early years were tough and unvarnished. He didn’t come from privilege; he earned every scrap of respect with sweat and grit. Enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1899, Daly was forged in a brotherhood where faith and duty intertwined like sinew and bone. He carried a quiet, unyielding trust in something greater than himself, a moral compass pointing true north through storms of gunfire.

The backbone of every good Marine is a code: courage, integrity, loyalty—and sacrifice. Daly lived it daily. His faith was often unspoken but palpable in his calm conviction. The Bible was never far, his favorite verse a steady anchor:

“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

The Boxer Rebellion: Valor Sealed in Fire

In 1900, the siege of the international legations in Peking revealed Daly’s mettle. With squads pinned down, weapons jammed, and hope thinning, Daly refused to yield ground. His first Medal of Honor arose from a simple, terrifying truth: fearless leadership under fire saves lives.

Leading a handful of Marines, Daly repelled wave after wave of attackers. Amid shattered streets and burning buildings, he exposed himself repeatedly to enemy fire to rally his men and hold critical lines. His citation reads that he “distinguished himself by his conduct in the presence of the enemy during the advance on and capture of Fort Boxers.”* A lone voice against chaos, his command and courage turned the tide.

The Hell of Belleau Wood: Heroism Etched in Blood

Fourteen years later, the First World War tore through Europe’s heart. At Belleau Wood, June 1918, the Marine Corps faced brutal German resistance. Sgt. Maj. Daly was now a seasoned warrior, hardened by years and countless campaigns.

The woods were a tangled nightmare, riddled with machine-gun nests and barbed wire. During a critical assault, Marines faltered under withering fire. Daly mounted a machine gun position, rallying the men with words that echoed decades after the guns fell silent:

“Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?”

That cry wasn't just bravado. It was damnation, challenge, and hope spun together—a call to stare death in the face and spit back defiance.

In this clash, Daly's courage and leadership held a crucial section of the line, buying time and ground. His second Medal of Honor was awarded for “extraordinary heroism and distinguished service” at Belleau Wood, recognizing his vital role in a battle that forged the Marine Corps’ mythic reputation.

Words from Brothers in Arms

Col. John A. Lejeune, Commandant of the Marine Corps, once said of Daly:

“Dan Daly was the fighting Marine. He told his men to follow him, and they did."

The men who fought beside him didn’t just respect Daly; they revered him. His grit was contagious; his calm in carnage a steadying hand for those who feared the sting of mortal wound.

Legacy Woven in Iron and Blood

Daly’s story is not merely the tale of one man’s valor, but of the timeless warrior spirit. A man without illusions about glory, only a fierce loyalty to his brothers and a solemn commitment to the mission. The same courage that carried him through Peking and Belleau Wood lives in every combat veteran who faces down fear and refuses to break.

His scars—tangible and invisible—remind us war’s cost. Yet his faith and example offer a profound hope: that the darkest battles can forge light-bearing souls.

“Greater love hath no man than this,” the scriptures say,

…that a man lay down his life for his friends. — John 15:13

Daniel Daly lived this truth. His story demands we remember sacrifice is never empty; it carries a sacred legacy. That legacy calls us not to forget. Not to look away. To honor the fight, the fallen, and the enduring flame of courage.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, “Daniel Daly: Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient.” 2. Boutwell, Jeffery. The Greatest Marine: A Biography of Daniel J. Daly. Marine Corps University Press, 2016. 3. Medal of Honor citation, Daniel J. Daly, Boxer Rebellion (1901). 4. Medal of Honor citation, Daniel J. Daly, World War I, Belleau Wood (1918). 5. Lejeune, John A., official Marine Corps records and speeches.