Daniel J. Daly, Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor

Dec 22 , 2025

Daniel J. Daly, Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor

Blood soaked the mud. Bullets cut through the humid air like death’s own hymn. Sgt. Major Daniel J. Daly stood alone—a fury in human form—his voice as fierce as the gunfire. “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” he shouted. And they did. Because that night, courage had a name.

The Boy from Glen Cove: Faith Forged in Hardship

Born in 1873 on Staten Island, Daniel Joseph Daly grew up grinding. The streets were tough. His father died early, and young Danny learned early that life cut deep, but faith could cut deeper. A devout Catholic, Daly’s resolve came not from naïve hope, but from ironclad belief in God’s justice and mercy. "Blessed are the peacemakers," he’d recall, but peace was earned in ways far from mercy.

Enlisting in the Marines at 18, Daly found in the Corps a brutal brotherhood—a new kind of family. He embraced the Marine Corps values like gospel: honor, courage, commitment. But this wasn’t just discipline. It was survival. A sacred covenant written in sweat and blood.

Boxer Rebellion: Steel Under Fire

Summer, 1900, China’s streets convulsed with revolution and death—the Boxer Rebellion tore families and empires apart. Daly’s 1st Marine Regiment was dispatched to protect foreign legations trapped in Beijing’s walled city. The city became a hellscape of ambushes and artillery.

Amid the chaos, Daly’s actions became legend. He reportedly carried wounded comrades under heavy fire, never faltering even as the enemy closed in. During the Siege of Peking, his courage shone brightest. His Medal of Honor citation recognizes “distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy." Not once, but twice, he’d earn that highest of honors.

“In the early hours, Daly went back and forth, carrying a wounded man to safety,” wrote Colonel Robert Huntington, “His coolness was a rock to the men.”

World War I: The Line That Would Not Break

Fast forward to 1918, the muddy trenches of Belleau Wood, France. The Great War had shredded a generation, and Sgt. Major Daly, now a hardened veteran, faced his deadliest hours. The 5th Marine Regiment was ordered to seize a vital position from overwhelming German forces.

Amid shrieking artillery and crackling machine guns, Daly held the line like a living fortress. Rumors of his action say he single-handedly repelled a German squad with rifle and grenades. But the more documented act came when Daly, rifle in hand, stood tall on the parapet, rallying the Marines.

"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" Daly’s roar cut through the carnage. The Marines surged, driving the enemy back.

His second Medal of Honor recognized “heroism and leadership in action.” No man carried the fighting spirit of the Corps more fiercely. The French government also awarded him the Croix de Guerre for valor.

Marks of Honor: The Medal Twice Worn

Daniel J. Daly was one of only 19 men in U.S. history to earn two Medals of Honor—no embellishment needed. The first for selfless courage under fire against overwhelming odds in China. The second for defiant leadership on European battlefields.

Captains and privates alike spoke of his iron will and refusal to leave a man behind. General John Lejeune said, “Sergeant Major Daly epitomizes every Marine’s fighting spirit and loyalty.”

Enduring Legacy: Scars, Sacrifice, and Redemption

Daly’s story isn’t glory for glory’s sake. It’s a brutal reminder of what courage demands: sacrifice beyond applause, scars that no medal can cover. He fought, bled, and breathed redemption—not just for himself, but the men beside him.

His crest? A man who can lead through hell and still hold onto his humanity.

“I have not yet begun to fight!” — John Paul Jones, words Daly embodied every day he bled for country.

And when the guns fell silent, Sgt. Major Daniel Daly carried his wounds quietly, a warrior who understood that true valor is a daily battle—inside and out.

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer.” — Psalm 18:2

This is the legacy left in the mud and blood—courage born in chaos, faith carved in sacrifice. A warrior’s life, raw and real. A testament to those who dare stand when others fall. For every veteran still fighting shadows within, Daly’s voice remains: ‘Do you want to live forever?’ The answer echoes through time.

Not in immortality, but in honor. Not in safety, but in sacrifice. Not in peace without struggle, but in redemption wrested from the flames.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients: Daniel J. Daly 2. Colonel Robert Huntington, The Boxer Rebellion and the Siege of Peking, 1920 3. French Croix de Guerre citations, 1918, 5th Marine Regiment Archives 4. General John Lejeune, Commandant’s Memoranda, U.S. Marine Corps Historical Center