Jan 01 , 2026

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

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Blood flows. The enemy comes in waves. Twice, I grabbed the colors, twice I stared death down in cold combat. No soldier wears valor like a medal—Daniel Daly lived it.

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From the Streets of Glen Cove to the Hell of Two Wars

Born 1873 in Glen Cove, New York, Daniel Joseph Daly was no stranger to hard labor or harder truths. A coal miner’s son who found the Marine Corps at seventeen, Daly’s life was forged in grit and unbending will. Raised in Irish Catholic faith, his belief in purpose and sacrifice was as steady as his aim. Faith was his armor before the uniform ever caught the dirt.

“God’s work ain’t easy," he reportedly said, "but it calls for all of us to stand strong.” This was the marrow of his stubborn code—a warrior who knew that courage, like grace, was earned in the shadows of despair.

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The Boxer Rebellion: The First Medal

In 1900, a brief but brutal chapter in China tested Daly’s mettle. The Boxer Rebellion, a savage uprising against Western presence, set the stage for his first plunge into hellish combat. Daly stood with the Eight-Nation Alliance in Peking, where besieged soldiers endured relentless assault.

During the Battle of Tientsin, Daly earned his first Medal of Honor by charging across a chaotic battlefield to throw grenades into enemy trenches under heavy fire—twice. The official citation reads:

“For distinguished conduct in battle, in the presence of the enemy during the battle [in] China, July 13, 1900, while serving with the 1st Marine Regiment.”[1]

His bravery wasn’t reckless; it was necessity driven by fierce loyalty to his comrades and mission. He fought not for glory but because the men beside him depended on a rock amid the madness.

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The Hell of the Great War: The Second Medal

By 1918, the world had plunged into a nightmare bigger than any one man’s fears. Sgt. Major Daniel J. Daly, by now a seasoned leader, found himself entrenched in the mud, blood, and poison gas of the Western Front. With the 4th Marine Regiment, 2nd Division, Daly faced the nightmare that was Belleau Wood.

Amid the thunder and profile of death, he stood amid shattered bodies and shattered spirits. It was here his legendary charge that would immortalize his name took place. Accounts say he yelled to his men:

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

Facing a German machine-gun nest that had pinned down his unit for hours, Daly surged alone to silence it, directing men and fire with the heart of a lion. His actions helped save the line and turned the tide of the battle.

For this, he earned his second Medal of Honor, a rare double that only nineteen men in American history have claimed. The citation confirms:

“For extraordinary heroism while serving with the 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Division, A.E.F., in action at Belleau Wood, France, on June 3, 1918.”[2]

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Recognition Beyond Medals

Daly’s valor earned him more than medals—he earned the respect of marines and generals alike. General Smedley Butler called him:

“The fightin’est Marine I ever knew.”

But Daly shunned fame. He believed the real medal was the one worn on a comrade’s chest—loss and survival bound tighter than any ribbon.

His career spanned 37 years of combat and leadership. Promoted to Sgt. Major, a title reserved for the backbone of the Corps, Daly became a living legend who passed the flame of sacrifice and courage to generations of Marines.

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Legacy Etched in Sacrifice and Faith

Daly died in 1937, but his spirit still charges through Marine Corps lore and the hearts of warriors across generations. His story is a brutal testament to relentless courage—a reminder that valor is forged in the crucible of choice under fire.

“Greater love hath no man than this…” (John 15:13) fits Daly like a glove. Not because he sought war, but because he stood willing to pay its price.

His life speaks louder than medals: that true heroism honors the scars—physical and spiritual—that bind men to each other in combat brotherhood. It honors enduring faith in a cause bigger than self.

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Daniel Joseph Daly’s legacy flows through anyone who stands when others fall. His story is a blood oath we’re called to remember beyond the pageantry—etched into the dirt where freedom was paid for with sweat, sacrifice, and unwavering heart.

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Sources

[1] U.S. Marine Corps History Division + “Medal of Honor Recipients, China Relief Expedition.” [2] U.S. Army Center of Military History + “World War I Medal of Honor Recipients.”

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