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

Dec 21 , 2025

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

Sgt. Major Daniel J. Daly stood alone, rifle in hand, surrounded by an impossible sea of enemies. The night was electric with gunfire and blood-soaked grit. No reinforcements. No backup. Just a battered few and a hellish determination that wouldn’t quit. He lifted his voice. He charged. One man, a wall against the tide.

Born from Rough Seas and Tough Faith

Daly wasn’t born wearing a medal. Raised in Glen Cove, New York, a hard knock childhood forged his soul. A second-generation Irish immigrant, he learned early that life owed no favors—earn every scrap. The streets taught him to fight, but the Corps taught him why.

Faith wasn’t flashy in his world. It was silent and deep. Scripture was his backbone:

“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 code was simple—honor above all, loyalty to brothers in arms, and a fierce will to act when the world screamed chaos. He believed courage wasn’t just a spark. It was a relentless fire, stoked by faith.

The Battle That Defined Him: Boxer Rebellion, 1900

In China, during the Boxer Rebellion, Daly’s first Medal of Honor came at the Battle of Tientsin. Outnumbered Marines faced relentless attacks by Boxer insurgents and Qing troops. The walls cracked but Daly stood firm.

Amid the chaos, Daly reportedly shouted encouragement and took point with wild abandon. Twice, he rescued wounded comrades in open ground. Twice, he killed enemy combatants with his bayonet and rifle fire.

His citation recounts his extraordinary heroism on June 20–21, 1900:

“In the presence of the enemy during the battle of Tientsin, for distinguished bravery and coolness... in the presence of overwhelming odds.”

Daly’s fight wasn’t for glory; it was survival. His leadership turned a desperate defense into a stubborn victory. Men still tell stories about the bloodied quiet hero who wouldn’t let the line break.

Another War, Another Medal: World War I, 1918

Seventeen years later, war called again. At Belleau Wood, the 4th Marine Brigade faced the nightmare trenches of World War I. The enemy was brutal—machine guns, gas, relentless artillery.

On June 26, 1918, partnered with Lt. Colonel Earl “Pete” Ellis, Daly led Marines through hell itself. His Medal of Honor citation highlights one bitter fight:

“For heroism and valor in battle near Mons, France... when the enemy in strong force attacked... he exhibited most distinguished gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”

Accounts speak of Daly rallying men under fire, moving among forward lines, directing fire, tending wounded—calm amidst carnage. To veterans, hanging by a thread, Daly’s calm was salvation.

Not once but twice, this man shaped firefights with his grit. Two Medals of Honor, earned in wildly different wars. The only Marine in the 20th century to hold that distinction. The scars he carried were invisible but etched deep.

Recognition and Reverence

Daly never sought the spotlight. His awards—two Medals of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, and more—sat quiet on a shelf, not the life he lived.

Marine Corps legend that he was, Daly’s peers echoed the same truth: He was the steel backbone. Medal of Honor recipient and longtime Sgt. Major, he embodied “Semper Fidelis” before it was slogan and brand.

General Smedley Butler, himself a two-time Medal of Honor recipient, once said of Daly:

“Daly was the greatest fighting Marine I ever knew.”

In every scrap, every mission, Daly’s leadership was a lifeline. Not just strategy, but example. When bullets shredded the air, his courage kindled quiet hope.

Legacy Etched in Blood and Faith

Daly’s story is carved from sacrifice—the raw, unvarnished truth of combat. Valor is not a gift; it is a choice. A choice to stand tall when the night is darkest, to lead even when the cost is soul-crushing.

Today, his legacy is a solemn call to anyone who wears the uniform and any who seek to understand it: Courage demands more than bravery. It demands unyielding faith—in God, in your brothers, and in purpose beyond survival.

The battlefield stole many things from him, but not his spirit. Even in death, his words echo:

“Fight for your country, and your country only.”

In a world hungry for veterans’ voices, let us listen close. Not to glorify war, but to honor the endurance, the scars, and the redemption fighters like Daly offer. The warrior’s path may fracture the body—but faith, courage, and sacrifice keep the soul whole.

Sources

1. Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863–1994, U.S. Army Center of Military History 2. The United States Marines: A History, Allan R. Millett 3. Marine Corps Gazette, various entries on Daniel J. Daly and the four leading Medal of Honor recipients 4. The Boxer Rebellion and the Great Game in China, David J. Silbey 5. General Smedley Butler memoirs and interviews, as referenced in Marine Corps historical records