Daniel J. Daly, Marine Who Held the Line at Peking and Belleau Wood

Jan 21 , 2026

Daniel J. Daly, Marine Who Held the Line at Peking and Belleau Wood

Sgt. Major Daniel Joseph Daly stood knee-deep in chaos, rifle in hand, face smeared with grime and grit. The Boxer Rebellion had thrown him into a crucible of fire, but his soul bore no hesitation. When the enemy closed in, he did not flinch. Forty-seven rebel warriors descended upon his post—and he shot down every last one.

Born of Iron and Faith

Daniel J. Daly was forged in Glen Cove, New York, a working-class son of Irish immigrants. Raised in a rough neighborhood where survival meant proving your mettle every day, he carried the grit of those streets into the Marine Corps. His faith was simple but unwavering—do your duty with honor, no matter the cost.

His personal code was carved in flesh and forged in combat: “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” Not just a motto. A lifestyle. Daly’s faith wasn’t some distant ideal; it was his anchor amid death. A soldier who knew that the battle outside mirrored the war within.

The Boxer Rebellion: The First Measure of Valor

In 1900, Beijing was a city on fire. The Boxer Rebellion pitted Marines against an uprising determined to expel foreigners through brutal assault. Daly found himself at the epicenter—guarding the legations under siege.

The story that etched his name into legend was not an act of grand command, but raw resolve. Surrounded by dozens, Daly stepped forward alone. Forty-seven enemy fighters surged at his position.

He held his ground, firing with calm fury. Forty-seven foes fell. No man moved forward past his post.

Fear? Never. Duty? Always.

This ferocity earned him his first Medal of Honor. The citation declared, “For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy at Peking, China." His courage saved lives and held the line when every second counted.[1]

World War I: Valor Tempered by War

Fourteen years later, the next great test: the mud-filled trenches of France, 1918. Daly, now a seasoned sargeant major, led Marines through the hellscape of Belleau Wood and Château-Thierry.

This was no longer small-unit skirmishes. This was industrial slaughter—artillery barrages, machine gun nests, gas attacks. Men died in droves.

During the Battle of Belleau Wood, Daly’s leadership became a lifeline. When his platoon faltered under blistering fire, he roared to the front lines, rallying his men to push forward against impossible odds.

At the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge, he earned his second Medal of Honor. The citation tells of an officer severely wounded and cut down—Daly grabbed the fallen man’s rifle and shouted: “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” Then he led the charge.[2]

This raw, unfiltered call to arms became immortal—repeated by Marines who followed. A warrior’s cry echoing through the fog of war.

Recognition Born of Blood and Sacrifice

Daniel Daly remains one of the few Marines awarded two Medals of Honor. His decorations include the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Service Cross, and multiple campaign medals. Commanders called him fearless. Brothers-in-arms called him family.

General John A. Lejeune said, “Daly embodies every bit of the fighting spirit Marines revere.”[3]

Yet Daly, true to his humble roots, shunned glory. He never sought fanfare. His medals hung quietly behind a worn, well-earned uniform.

The Legacy: Courage Beyond the Gunfire

Daly’s story speaks to the marrow of sacrifice and the raw edge of command. True courage is not the absence of fear, but the refusal to yield beneath it. His scars—physical and spiritual—remind us of the price of standing fast when the world collapses into violence.

He lived the creed. Led by example in jungles, cities, trenches. His echo lives in every Marine’s call to arms, every veteran’s struggle to keep faith long after the guns fall silent.

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” — Matthew 5:9

Daly is proof: redemption and righteousness lace together on the battlefield. Not in spite of war—but through it.

In the end, Sgt. Maj. Daniel J. Daly stands as a testament to the warrior’s burden: to fight without hatred, to lead without pride, and to serve a cause greater than oneself. His life—cracked by gunfire, hardened by combat—still offers a truth as sharp as any bullet: To be a soldier is to bear scars invisible and terrible, but to find purpose beyond them.

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command, Medal of Honor Recipient – Daniel J. Daly 2. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Daniel J. Daly, American Heroes of World War I 3. Jonathan Gawne, John A. Lejeune and the Making of the Marine Corps