Daniel J. Daly, Marine Twice Awarded the Medal of Honor

Dec 05 , 2025

Daniel J. Daly, Marine Twice Awarded the Medal of Honor

They came like shadows in the night, charging the barricades with hellfire in their eyes. Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood his ground in Tientsin, China, fists clenched, voice roaring above gunfire. "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" The words weren’t just an order—they were a summons. In that hellscape of the Boxer Rebellion, Daly was a fortress, a lightning rod of fearless command and raw, unyielding courage.

From Brooklyn Streets to Marine Corps Legend

Born 1873 in Glen Cove, New York, Daly was a tough kid shaped by raw urban grit and an unshakeable moral core. His faith, a quiet companion, was rooted in the conviction that honor and sacrifice weren't just military terms—they were life’s currency.

He enlisted in 1899, stepping into a Corps that demanded more than muscle. It demanded a heart fierce enough to withstand the worst. Known for his blunt demeanor, he was as much a man of action as a man of principle.

Daly’s code was simple: protect your brothers, stand your ground, and never let fear break your spine. He carried that code into every fight—and the scars etched into his soul were his silent testament.

The Boxer Rebellion: Two Medals Born in Fire

In June 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion’s savage siege at the Legation Quarter, Daly led Marines through streets choked with smoke and death. The enemy closed in, relentless. Daly, armed with nothing but grit and a Colt revolver, vaulted over barricades, rallying wounded men, reloading guns under fire.

For his “extraordinary heroism in battle”, Daly received his first Medal of Honor. His citation speaks to a ferocity that borders on legend. “While in action against the enemy, he distinguished himself by meritorious conduct.” But that phrase barely scratches the surface.

The Great War: Valor in the Meuse-Argonne

World War I stripped away any illusions about warfare. Daly, now a seasoned Marine, marched into the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in 1918. Amid mud, gas, and unending barrage, he found himself once again the pivot men looked to for courage.

When an American unit faltered, Daly charged forward under heavy machine-gun fire, rallying the men to hold their line overnight until reinforcements arrived. A veteran reporter noted, “Daly’s calm amid chaos inspired a battered regiment to stand firm.” His second Medal of Honor followed, an honor shared by only one other Marine (Major General Smedley Butler).

The Words That Outlast Bullets

Psalm 23:4 — “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.”

This was Daly’s warps and wefts. His fearless leadership was less about bravado, more about a relentless faith that gripped him through bloodshed and loss. He stood on the edge of death and understood redemption was more than survival—it was living as a testament to those who never made it home.

Fellow Marines knew him as a man who lived every word he spoke. Smedley Butler later said, “Daly was the kind of Marine you followed anywhere, and you did it without fear.”

Legacy Etched in Valor and Redemption

Daniel Joseph Daly died in 1937, but his legacy is carved into Marine Corps lore—and the broader American warrior soul. Two Medals of Honor, earned in two different wars, tell a story of perseverance without pause. His famous exhortation, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” echoes beyond the dusty streets of China, beyond the trenches of France.

It’s a line that reminds us courage is a choice you make in the face of terror. Sacrifice isn’t just given, it’s claimed. Daly’s life teaches that greatness is measured not by medals, but by the relentless willingness to stand when others fall.

His story is a beacon for every veteran who has borne witness to suffering and carried that burden home. It is a solemn reminder: our scars are not marks of shame but badges of honor—proof that in the darkest hours, we can still choose to fight for something greater than ourselves.

His legacy is not just about fighting. It’s about living with the weight of that fight, redeeming the cost with courage, faith, and an enduring love for the brother beside you. That is Daniel J. Daly’s true battlefield—not the kill zones or gun smoke—but the silent wars fought in every veteran’s heart long after the last shot.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division — Medal of Honor Recipients: Daniel Joseph Daly 2. The Fighting Marines of World War I (Marine Corps Gazette, 1920) 3. Eugene Sledge, With the Old Breed (Reference to Marine Corps ethos and leadership) 4. Smedley Butler, War Is a Racket (Reflection on leadership and courage)