Daniel J. Daly, Two-Time Medal of Honor Marine at Belleau Wood

Feb 07 , 2026

Daniel J. Daly, Two-Time Medal of Honor Marine at Belleau Wood

His fists beat like thunder. His courage shook the ground beneath charging enemies. Sgt. Major Daniel J. Daly stood alone amid the chaos, a one-man wrecking crew defying death twice over—once against boxers in China, once amidst the mud and blood of World War I trenches. He didn’t just fight wars. He embodied them.

The Bloodied Roots of a Warrior

Born in 1873, Daniel Joseph Daly cut his teeth on the tough streets of Glen Cove, New York. A working-class Irish kid, Daly lived hard and fast. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1899. No silver spoon, no shortcuts. Just grit and a code hammered by faith and sacrifice.

Daly’s belief in something higher anchored him—a deep, unshakable faith that war’s horrors were tempered by divine purpose. “Greater love hath no man than this... to lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) This scripture shadowed his every step.

In the blood-soaked crucible, this warrior’s honor was forged—loyalty to comrades, fierce protection of the mission, and an iron will that scorned fear. No man left behind wasn’t just words—it was a gospel etched into his soul.

The Battle That Defined Him: Tientsin, Boxer Rebellion, 1900

July 13, 1900. The city of Tientsin, China, roared with the fury of rebellion. The Boxers—armed zealots hell-bent on wiping foreign influence off their land—swarmed around the Allied legations. Daly’s Marines were entrenched, outnumbered.

Enemy fire slammed in waves. The headquarters on a hill was under siege. Then came the order to retreat.

Daly was a sentry in an exposed position. When the order came, he didn’t run. Instead, he single-handedly repelled attacking Boxers with his rifle, then with his fists when ammo ran out. Witnesses claim he beat back the enemy like a one-man shield, buying critical time for his unit to regroup and counterattack.

His Medal of Honor citation reads:

“For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy during the battle of Tientsin, China, July 13, 1900, in saving the life of a fellow Marine who was desperately wounded and surrounded by the enemy.”[1]

War’s Inferno Again: Battle of Belleau Wood, 1918

Nearly two decades later, the trenches of World War I choked the air with poison and death. On June 26, 1918, at Belleau Wood, France, Daly found himself in the crucible once more.

Amid the thunder of machine guns and artillery, forward platoons faltered under relentless German fire. Seeing Marines waver, Daly rallied with raw, unfiltered fury.

"Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?"

These words—spoken without flair, but with razor-sharp urgency—galvanized men to bind wounds and charge back into hell’s teeth.[2] His rally wasn’t just bravado; it was leadership carved from combat scars and faith’s fire.

Daly again earned the Medal of Honor:

“For extraordinary heroism while serving with the 6th Marine Regiment in the attack against Hill 142, near Bouresches, France, June 6–8, 1918.”[3]

Behind the line, his steady presence was a lifeline.

Recognition Worn in Scars

Daly received two Medals of Honor—a rare pedigree shared by only 19 Americans. Yet those medals were iron bound to flesh and blood, not for glory, but for duty.

Legend bears his name alongside phrases like “fearless leadership” and “unflinching courage.” French soldiers nicknamed Marines “Teufelshunde”—Devil Dogs—thanks in part to their example at Belleau Wood, a battlefield where Daly’s fury was a thunderclap.

Marine Corps Commandant General John A. Lejeune called Daly “the greatest Marine who ever lived.”[4] His story became a thread woven into the Corps’ fabric—an eternal testament to sacrifice and resilience.

Redemption Etched in Battle

Daly’s mark runs deeper than medals or battle maps. His life was a testament to redemption through sacrifice—a warrior infinitely human, wrestling with war’s darkness yet fueled by a higher calling.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped.” (Psalm 28:7)

For veterans who carry scars visible and hidden, Daly’s legacy whispers across generations: true courage is not the absence of fear, but standing firm because of what you believe—your brothers, your mission, and something bigger than yourself.

For those outside the fight, his life demands more than respect. It calls for understanding the cost of freedom—the raw, relentless price paid with blood and unbreakable will.

Daniel J. Daly fought with fists, faith, and ferocity. He wore scars deeper than skin. Tomorrow’s Marines will still hear his voice in the roar of battle, a reminder:

True valor carries no guarantees. It demands everything.

Sources

[1] U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients: Daniel J. Daly [2] Millett, Allan R., Semper Fidelis: The History of the United States Marine Corps (1991) [3] U.S. Army Center of Military History, World War I Medal of Honor Citations [4] Simmons, Edwin H., The United States Marines: A History (1975)