Jan 28 , 2026
Daniel J. Daly, Two-Time Medal of Honor Marine at Belleau Wood
Blood on my hands. Not once, but twice, for honor and country. There’s no glory in killing. Only purpose in holding the line when all hell rains down. Daniel Joseph Daly lived hammered into that brutal truth—fierce beyond measure, unyielding beyond fear.
Born of Grit and God
Daly came from humble streets of Glen Cove, New York. Born in 1873, he learned hard work and tougher faith early. This wasn’t some soldier molded in wealth or ease. His was the kind of backbone forged in salt air and steel resolve.
A Catholic man, Daly carried scripture as his shield—not just words, but a code. He knew the battle was spiritual as much as it was physical. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) That verse ran deep. It shaped every step in war’s shadow.
The Boxer Rebellion: The First Crucible
China, 1900. The so-called “Boxer” uprising rose like wildfire, threatening all foreigners and missionaries. Daly was a young Marine Corporal then—one of many tasked with defending the foreign legations in Beijing. They called it a siege; he called it a fight for survival.
On June 20, during the assault on the Beijing Legation Quarter, Daly’s Medal of Honor citation says it plainly:
“In the presence of the enemy during the battle of Peking, China, 20 June to 16 July 1900, Corporal Daly distinguished himself by his heroic conduct.”
He manned a machine gun, a new weapon then, raining death on waves of militants trying to overrun defenses.[^1] His actions bought time for reinforcements—time that meant survival for hundreds.
Few words came from Daly then about the fight itself. He never sought credit. But his comrades knew—he was fire incarnate. That raw courage earned Daly his first Medal of Honor, a mark rare enough in Marine Corps history.
Belleau Wood: The Hell of the Second World War
Forty years old, a Sergeant Major now. World War I had swallowed the world in blood, and the U.S. Marines were sent to France’s worst killing grounds.
June 6, 1918. The infamous Battle of Belleau Wood. German machine guns cut swaths through the shattered woods. American forces staggered.
But Daly? He roared forward.
Legend tells of Daly grabbing a rifle from a wounded soldier and shouting at his men, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?”[^2] No mere catchphrase—an iron-willed summons amid chaos and carnage.
In this bloody slugfest, he was everywhere—leading charges, rallying the broken, fighting like a cornered beast. Despite wounds and exhaustion, he stayed front and center, turning despair into fury.
He earned his second Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism during this brutal grapple. The citation commands respect:
“For extraordinary heroism while serving with the 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action near Bouresches, France, 6–10 June 1918, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”[^3]
Twelve days, endless firefights, lives torn apart—but Daly’s spirit never cracked.
A Legacy Written in Blood and Honor
Daly’s medals called him the “Fighting Marine.” Twice awarded the Medal of Honor, one of the very few honored thus. Yet the scars beneath were invisible—the weight of brothers lost, the memory of battle cries cut short.
Marine Corps Commandant General John A. Lejeune once said of Daly: “No Marine has ever surpassed Sergeant Major Daniel J. Daly in the performance of his duties or in the display of physical courage and military skill.”
But greatness is more than medals or praise. It is sacrifice. It is standing taller when the world wants to break you down.
Daly once said he didn’t want to be remembered for medals, but as “one who did his duty.” In the quiet aftermath, that’s the truest measure.
The Eternal Battlefield
Combat leaves more than scars; it etches purpose and redemption on the soul. Daly’s story is a torch passed down to those who fight and those who watch.
“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) Battles rage and bodies fall, but courage is born in the knowing that something greater walks beside you.
Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly’s legacy is a living sermon in grit and grace. To every fought-for inch, every brother fallen, every moment you stand firm—his blood cries out. Not for vanity, but for honor, for country, for redemption.
To fight with honor is to take up the cross willingly, bearing the scars that few will see—but many will remember.
Sources
[^1]: U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients – China Relief Expedition [^2]: Military History Quarterly, Fighting Words of WWII (reference to Belleau Wood quotes) [^3]: U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citations, World War I – Sergeant Major Daniel J. Daly
Related Posts
Clifton T. Speicher Heroism on Hill 500 in the Korean War
Alfred B. Hilton Color Bearer and Medal of Honor Recipient
Charles Coolidge Held Hill 616 and Earned the Medal of Honor