Dec 12 , 2025
Daniel J. Daly Marine Twice Awarded the Medal of Honor
The air thick with gunpowder and sweat, Sgt. Major Daniel J. Daly stood between chaos and survival. Bullets sliced the silence. Around him, Marines faltered, but he did not. He charged forward, twice risking death to save his men and hold the line. Not once, but twice, war carved his name into history’s sharp edges.
Born of Grit and Old-School Faith
Daly came from the rough streets of Glen Cove, New York. A tough Irish-American kid shaped by hard knocks and tougher values. His faith wasn’t just Sunday ritual — it was a backbone. He believed a man’s honor is measured in deeds, not words.
He carried a warrior’s code: fight with courage, lead with heart, and never abandon a brother in arms. This was no abstract philosophy. It was his battle creed, forged in sleepless nights and blood-soaked fields.
The Boxer Rebellion: Valor Etched in Fire
In 1900, China’s Boxer Rebellion boiled over. Daly was a corporal with the 1st Marine Regiment. The American legation in Peking was under siege. The streets crawled with rebels and death’s shadow.
On July 13, as the attackers swarmed, Daly grabbed a rifle and manned a critical barricade. Enemy fire hammered the walls, but he refused to yield. When the resin on the rope of a signaling station caught fire under relentless assault, Daly braved machine-gun fire to cut the flames—and save his position.[1]
His citation called it “distinguished courage” but this was more than courage. It was damn near sacrificial.
The Forge of World War I
Fast forward to the muddy trenches of World War I, 1918. Staff Sergeant Daly, now battle-wise and battle-scarred, faced the Meuse-Argonne offensive. The mud was ankle-deep, barbed wire shredded the earth, shells exploded in a symphony of hell.
His unit stalled near the village of Blanc Mont Ridge, pinned under heavy machine gun fire. The enemy lines threatened to break through.
Without hesitation, Daly singlehandedly charged a nest of enemy guns. He lobbed grenades, fired his rifle, and drove the Germans back. This brutal example of fearless leadership kept his comrades alive and the line intact.
Again, he emerged bearing wounds—another costly price paid to save his men.
Recognition For a Warrior’s Heart
Two Medals of Honor. Only nineteen men in U.S. history earned this twice.[2] Daly’s citations read like a litany of relentless valor.
From his Boxer Rebellion citation:
“In the presence of the enemy during the battle of Peking, Corporal Daly distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism.”[1]
From his World War I citation:
“For extraordinary heroism while serving with the Marines during an advance under heavy artillery and machine gun fire.”[2]
His peers called him “Iron Mike” — a nickname earned not through bluster but blood and unyielding resolve.
General John J. Pershing, Allied Commander, praised him as “one of the finest fighting men I have ever known.”[3]
Legacy Written in Sacrifice
Daly’s story isn’t just about medals. It’s the harsh truth of war — sacrifice carved into flesh and soul. He fought because others needed to live. He stood because others could not.
“Greater love hath no man than this,” and Daly embodied it without question.
His legacy echoes in the courage of every Marine who faces the impossible. The cost of freedom is often silent and unseen beyond those battlefields. Yet men like Daly remind us that valor is timeless.
The warrior’s path is brutal. It strips away vanity and leaves only purpose. Daniel Daly’s scars speak louder than any medal. They tell us sacrifice is real, courage is costly, and redemption is found not in the war, but in holding on to faith and honor when chaos tries to claim all.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread... for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.” — Deuteronomy 31:6
In remembering Daly, we honor not just a hero of battle, but a brother who refused to break. His story demands reverence — a reminder that each scar carries a lesson, and each sacrifice, a soul redeemed.
Sources
[1] Naval History and Heritage Command, Medal of Honor Citation for Daniel J. Daly (Boxer Rebellion) [2] United States Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War I [3] Biography.com, John J. Pershing: American General and Distinguished Leader
Related Posts
Ross McGinnis' Medal of Honor sacrifice on a Humvee grenade in Iraq
Rodney Yano, Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient Who Saved His Comrades
Dakota Meyer's Medal of Honor rescue in Kunar Province, Afghanistan