Daniel J. Daly, Marine with Two Medals of Honor and Unyielding Courage

Nov 20 , 2025

Daniel J. Daly, Marine with Two Medals of Honor and Unyielding Courage

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood alone atop a parapet, fists clenched, teeth gritted. The Boxer Rebellion had engulfed Tientsin in fire and fury. As the enemy charged, Daly shouted a challenge that echoed through the smoke: “Come on, you sons of bitches, you’ll have to come over me!” There, amid the blood and chaos, the foundation of a legend was forged—one of relentless courage and unyielding grit.

Origins of the Warrior

Born in 1873 in Glen Cove, New York, Daniel Joseph Daly grew up in a tough Irish Catholic household. From a young age, he understood hardship was a crucible. The streets taught him lessons the pews could not—a solemn code of duty stitched tightly to his faith.

His belief in God tempered but never softened him. Daly’s life was framed by scripture and sacrifice alike:

“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” — Revelation 2:10

The Marine Corps gave him a purpose—a chance to live out his creed in blood and steel. Duty was not a phrase to him but a commandment carved into his soul.

The Battle That Defined Him

The year was 1900. The Boxer Rebellion threatened American and allied forces in China. During the siege of Tientsin, Daly’s unit found itself under brutal assault. As the enemy swarmed the defenses, panic rippled through the ranks. But not Daly.

His Medal of Honor citation recalls his fearless acts: under heavy fire, he rushed to man a critical machine gun position after it was abandoned. His actions blunted the enemy assault and saved countless lives.[1]

Then came World War I—the mud, the carnage, the shellshock of modern war. Daly, now a seasoned veteran, found himself in the hellholes of the Western Front. During the Battle of Belleau Wood in 1918, his courage illuminated the darkness of war once more.

His second Medal of Honor citation praised his “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.” Under relentless fire, he led a counterattack, inflicted heavy enemy casualties, and restored his lines.[2]

His valor wasn’t just physical. It was moral—undaunted leadership in the screams of death, an example that breathed life into exhausted Marines fighting for their brothers beside them.

Honors Earned in Blood

Two Medals of Honor—the highest military decoration in the United States—etched his name in Marine Corps history. Daly was one of only three Marines to receive this honor twice, joining the ranks of legends.

His peers called him “Iron Mike,” a nickname that captured both his stoicism and unbreakable spirit.

Colonel Anthony J. Drexel Biddle famously remarked of Daly:

“No finer soldier has ever worn the Eagle, Globe and Anchor.”[3]

Daly’s awards also included the Navy Cross, and the respect of every man who served with him. His battlefield citations tell a stark story of sacrifice—no room for glory, just survival and victory.

Legacy in the Mud and Faith

Daly’s story is tattooed on the pages of Marine Corps lore and American valor. But beyond medals and citations lies a deeper truth—redemption through sacrifice.

He once said, “The dead are never dead to us until the forgotten.” His faith gave that promise shape and meaning. Every scar bore witness to the cost of freedom, every line of his weathered face a testament to duty fulfilled.

His legacy lives in the grit of every Marine who charges into the breach, and the quiet resolve of veterans struggling to reconcile war’s chaos with peace.

War is a brutal truth. Some run from it. Daniel Joseph Daly ran through it, breaking the enemy—and himself—on front lines where angels fear.

He fought with sweat, blood, and unshakable will, carrying that scarred spirit home so others might walk free.

That is the mark of a true warrior—one who wears faith as armor, courage as a blade, and leaves behind a legacy worthy of remembrance.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” — 2 Corinthians 4:16

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command, Medal of Honor Citation: Sgt. Maj. Daniel J. Daly – Boxer Rebellion. 2. United States Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citation: Sgt. Maj. Daniel J. Daly – World War I. 3. Biddle, Anthony J. Fighting Marines: A Marine Corps Memoir, 1935.