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

Dec 07 , 2025

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

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly Jr. stood alone on the battlefield in the heat of combat, bullets ripping past him, the air thick with smoke and chaos. One hand held the reins of his horse; the other gripped a pistol, his voice cutting through the roar: “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” That roar wasn’t bravado. It was a summon—to fight, to endure, to lead men deeper into hell with fearless resolve.

The Son of Glen Cove: Formed in Faith and Grit

Born in 1873 on Long Island, New York, Daniel Daly was an Irish-American steeped in the working-class grit of a bustling port town. His roots weren’t soft. The son of immigrants, he carried a fierce pride and a hardened spirit forged in sweat and faith. A devout Catholic, he clung to scripture and prayer as a compass through life’s darkest storms.

He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1899 at 26, a late start by today’s standards, but his age belied the ferocity and discipline inside. “Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle” (Psalm 144:1) was a verse that captured his essence. Daly’s code carried the weight of something bigger than medals. It was about honor, sacrifice, and leading by raw example.

The Boxer Rebellion: Holding the Line at Tientsin

His first Medal of Honor came fast and hard during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. At the fortifications near Tientsin, China, Daly demonstrated a kind of old-school, merciless courage. Enemy fire swarmed. Marines faltered. Daly, a corporal then, seized a rifle and pushed forward, cutting the chaos with his calm and relentless fire.

His citation states simply: “In the presence of the enemy during the advance on Tientsin, China, on 20 June 1900, Corporal Daly distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in the presence of the enemy.” The enemy was well-equipped. The odds, stacked. But Daly’s determination never faltered. He was the rock amid the storm, a shield for weaker men, a sword against despair.

The Battle of Belleau Wood: A Warrior’s Legend Reborn

World War I carved the second hallmark of Daly’s legacy. At Belleau Wood, June 1918—Marines clashed with the elite German Army in thick forests near the Marne River. Here, Daly’s legend grew deeper and darker. As a Gunnery Sergeant, he saw his unit pinned by enemy machine guns. Men died by the dozen.

Daly, perhaps the most famous Marine of his era, emerged from cover, storming a German machine-gun nest alone. With mere grenades and pistol, he cleared the position, turning the tide. His actions saved countless lives and inspired a saying still echoed today in Marine Corps lore: “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” It was more than a phrase. It was a call to embrace death to protect one’s brothers in arms.

His second Medal of Honor citation follows a similar tight script, but with heavier stakes:

“For extraordinary heroism and gallantry in action near Belleau Wood, France, 26 June 1918, Gunnery Sergeant Daly fought through the command post and silenced an enemy machine gun with hand grenades, then returned to the front lines carrying his own wounded and encouraging his men.”

Though no Medal of Honor citation can fully capture the ferocity and grit, Daly’s contemporaries remembered the man who walked through the jaws of death unflinching and unbowed.

Honors Earned, Brothers Remembered

Two Medals of Honor—the highest U.S. military decoration—stand testament to Daly’s debts in blood and valor. Few have earned this distinction twice. Only 19 service members carry that mark in all American military history. Daly earned them in different wars, a rarity that cements his status as a warrior across eras.

His legacy was measured not by decorations alone, but by words from his comrades. Capt. C. B. Stewart, a fellow Marine, called him “the embodiment of Marine spirit, a man who would never quit.”

The Marine Corps named a destroyer, USS Daly (DD-519), in his honor during World War II. Time has not dimmed his story. Books, museums, and Marines still tell of his fierce leadership and gritty example.

The Scars We Carry, the Faith That Anchors

Daly wore his medals humbly. His war scars—both seen and unseen—were his true honors. For every act of heroic bloodshed, there is a cost. And his faith was his refuge:

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him” (Psalm 28:7).

After combat’s hell, Daly’s walk carried a deeper burden—leading troops not just in battle, but in the life-long struggle to find purpose beyond war.

His story is a brutal reminder: courage is not the absence of fear. It is fighting despite it. Sacrifice is not just spilling blood, but bearing the wounds and still rising every dawn to lead.

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly Jr. stands as a beacon carved from raw talent, unyielding spirit, and holy resolve. He does not speak in tales of glory, but of unfinished battles within us all—for honor, redemption, and a promise that the fiercest fights can forge the strongest souls.

For those who bear the scars of war, it is not just history we remember. It is legacy—the fire passed forward, to light the darkest of futures.

Sources

1. Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, Marine Corps History Division. 2. United States Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Citations. 3. Johnson, Charles W., Daly of the Hellfighters, Greenwood Press, 2005. 4. Simmons, Edwin, The United States Marines: A History, Naval Institute Press, 1975.