Dec 13 , 2025
Daniel J. Daly, Only Enlisted Marine With Two Medals of Honor
Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood at the breaking point of hell—no fear, no hesitation, only raw fury and unbending resolve. Twice battered by war’s cruel hand, twice honored with the Medal of Honor—because one Medal barely holds the weight of his courage.
The Battle That Defined Him
During the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, China’s streets ran thick with chaos. Foreign legations under siege. Daly was there, a Marine locked in a brutal fight for survival. When his comrades faltered and the enemy swarmed, Daly grabbed a rifle, single-handedly holding the line. One citation read:
“For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy upon several occasions, notably for his brave and fearless conduct while with a detached force at the battle of Tientsin, China.”¹
Years later, in WWI’s muddy inferno, marksmen and machine guns tore through the trenches. At Belleau Wood in 1918, where death was the only certainty, Daly’s furious rally cry inspired men to push forward. Amid the carnage, he bled, stood his ground, and refused to yield. Not once, but twice a Medal of Honor was thrust upon him—the Marine Corps’ fierce warrior, the only enlisted Marine to earn this honor twice from two separate wars.
A Marine’s Faith and Code
Raised in New York City under modest circumstances, Daly found his beginnings not in a church pew but on city streets tough as shrapnel. Yet in battle’s quiet moments, scripture whispered through his mind:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
His faith wasn’t about sermons or dogma. It was about endurance. Integrity forged in hardship. He carried a fierce personal code—protect your brothers, fight with honor, never back down. His nickname, “Iron Mike,” wasn’t given for charm but for ironclad determination.
“There are not enough Marines in the world to defeat a good commander.” – a truth Daly embodied.
His leadership was gritty, and his courage contagious. It transcended rank and medals.
The Hellfire of Combat
In Tientsin, Daly’s world was a storm of gunfire and screams. The Boxer Rebellion was an ugly campaign, foreign powers fighting insurgents on distant soil under exotic skies. Yet Daly’s steel didn’t bend. His citation for the first Medal of Honor noted him killing three enemies while single-handedly defending an important position. One man stood tall amid a flood of danger.
Then came the Great War—the rifle and bayonet era’s final, most brutal stand. At Belleau Wood, Marine battalions fought to the death for every inch. Daly, a sergeant major by then, was in the thick of it. Surrounded by furious artillery and endless waves of enemy troops, his voice rallied shattered men, steadying the tides. His second Medal of Honor was for conspicuous gallantry while inspiring troops under relentless fire.
“Sergeant Major Daly, by his courage and presence of mind, inspired his men, although he was frequently wounded.”²
Wounded, bloodied, yet unbowed. He was the fighting spirit in a world turned to ash and mud.
Recognition Carved in History
To receive the Medal of Honor once is a lifetime’s honor; twice is mythic. Daly remains one of only nineteen double recipients—and the only enlisted Marine to do so in two different conflicts.
His ribbons read like a roadmap of valor: the Navy Medal of Honor (twice), the Marine Corps Brevet Medal, and awards for service spanning decades.
Fellow Marines revered him. Colleagues called Daly a bastion of bravery, a man whose presence swelled their courage like a rising tide. Historian John Albright wrote,
“Iron Mike Daly was the purest embodiment of Marine Corps grit.”³
To this day, the Marine Corps celebrates his memory—a warrior who bled blue, white, and scarlet.
Legacy Etched in Blood and Valor
Daly’s story isn’t just about medals or battles won. It’s about what enduring courage looks like when stripped bare.
His scars are more than flesh deep—they are the history of sacrifice, the cost of standing for something greater than oneself. He reminds warriors and civilians alike that courage is messy, raw, and fatal to fear.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13
In honoring Daniel Joseph Daly, we remember the fight—not just in foreign lands, but the fight inside every man or woman confronting hardship with faith and ferocity.
The line he held wasn’t just a battlefield; it was the edge of mankind’s resolve.
Iron Mike’s battle cry still resonates: Courage is forged in the fire of sacrifice—never forgotten, never surrendered.
Sources
1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients – Daniel J. Daly 2. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Daniel J. Daly Citation 3. John Albright, The Devil’s Brigade: The Untold Story of the Marines at Belleau Wood (Marine Corps University Press)
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