Daniel J. Daly Twice Awarded Medal of Honor, Hero at Belleau Wood

Dec 25 , 2025

Daniel J. Daly Twice Awarded Medal of Honor, Hero at Belleau Wood

Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly stood in the choking mud, surrounded by bullets tearing the air apart. The enemy surged, relentless and ruthless, nearly on top of him. Without hesitation, he shouted into the chaos, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” That moment wasn’t bravado—it was a steel-hard summons born of grit, fear, and an unbreakable will.

The Blood Runs Deep

Born in Glen Cove, New York, 1873, Daly grew up rough—working-class grit with a fierce independence. The streets taught him early: life demands toughness and honor demands sacrifice. He joined the Marines in 1899, a choice that would carve his name deep into history.

A devout Catholic, Daly’s faith was quiet but strong—his armor in battle and in life. Psalm 27:1 clung to him like a second skin: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” He carried that light into every hellish firefight, every desperate mile.

The Boxer Rebellion: First Medal of Honor

Daly was just 27 during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. The siege of Peking saw multinational forces trapped, fighting a brutal urban jungle. Daly charged forward under withering fire to retrieve a fallen comrade’s body.

He didn’t wait, he didn’t hesitate. Twice he risked his life crossing open ground littered with bullets and chaos to drag wounded Marines to safety. His citation reads:

“For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy in battle of Peking, China, June 20 to July 16, 1900.” [[1]]

They awarded him the Medal of Honor for valor—an acknowledgment of his indomitable spirit, but only the first of two.

World War I: Valor Forged in Fire

Daly enlisted again during the Great War, American Expeditionary Forces deploying to France in 1917. By 1918, he was a veteran hardened by years of combat, yet the war’s grinding horror tested him anew.

At the Battle of Belleau Wood, he stood defiant against waves of German attacks. His unit pinned down, Daly took an abandoned machine gun, firing relentlessly against enemy troops who overran their lines.

When a party of Marines wavered, he stood alone in the open and roared those immortal words—“Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?”—rallying them back to the fight.

For this extraordinary courage under fire, the Medal of Honor was awarded again. His citation describes:

“For extraordinary heroism in action near Château-Thierry, France, June 7–10, 1918.” [[2]]

His two Medals of Honor place him among only three Marines ever to receive this honor twice.

A Leader Both Feared and Revered

Daly’s reputation wasn’t built on medals alone. Fellow Marines remembered a hard man with an iron will and a fierce loyalty to the men beside him.

General John A. Lejeune called him:

“The greatest Marine I ever knew.” [[3]]

Daly’s leadership wasn’t about ceremony—it was about shared sacrifice in mud, blood, and fire. He bore scars both visible and hidden, each one a testament to the price of courage.

Legacy Written in Blood and Honor

Daly’s life speaks across generations. He embodies the raw truth of sacrifice—how courage is not absence of fear but defiance in spite of it. He shows that valor is a choice made in the moment when death whispers closest.

His story humbles us. It demands remembrance—not just of medals or battles, but of the enduring legacy left in the dust and cries of war. He reminds veterans and civilians alike that courage carries a cost, and redemption often walks through the valley of suffering.

“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

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly’s life was a battlefield journal written in blood and faith. His name is etched not just in military history but in the soul of every warrior who has faced impossible odds and stood anyway—unyielding, unbroken, forever a guardian of hope amid hell.

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command, Medal of Honor Citations: Daniel J. Daly 2. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Heroes of Belleau Wood 3. Lejeune, John A., Marine Corps Memoirs