Daniel Joseph Daly, Marine Who Won Two Medals of Honor

Dec 14 , 2025

Daniel Joseph Daly, Marine Who Won Two Medals of Honor

The roar of gunfire split the air, but Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood alone on that blood-soaked street in Peking. The Boxer Rebellion’s chaos tore at every corner, yet he charged into the fray—no hesitation. His rifle cracked, every shot a lifeline for his brothers under siege. Around him, allies faltered. But not Daly. He was a wall—a relentless force who placed himself between death and the Marines pinned behind him.

The Roots of Iron and Spirit

Born in Glen Cove, New York, in 1873, Daniel Joseph Daly grew up rough-edged, working-class, forged in the unforgiving streets. Discipline came not from privilege but survival. His faith was quiet but steady, a backbone during the darkest nights. Daly carried his own code: Protect your own. Stand unbroken. Face death with a steady heart.

“God had given me this life,” Daly once said. “And I wasn’t about to waste it running.” This warrior’s creed was embedded deep, not just in muscle and grit, but in spirit. Like a psalm etched into flesh:

“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

The Boxer Rebellion: A Crucible of Steel

In 1900, the streets of Peking burned with deadly fury. Daly’s 1st Marine Regiment was ordered into hostile crowds intent on dismantling foreign legations. There, amid the fire and rubble, Daly earned his first Medal of Honor.

During the Siege of Peking, Daly’s unit was under siege for days. Our Ivan battles don’t come to Marines—they make Marines. Daly’s citation speaks of “extraordinary heroism in the presence of the enemy” during one of the bloodiest moments of the rebellion. Minute after minute, he waded into hostile fire to retrieve wounded comrades and hold the line against overwhelming odds.

He led the famous charge down the Tianjin Street, moving past the broken corpses and flaming buildings, earning the admiration of superiors and soldiers alike. Commandant John A. Lejeune later said of Daly’s actions, “His courage inspired a generation.”

World War I: Valor Rekindled in the Trenches

Fourteen years later, the Great War carved a new battlefield across Europe. Daly’s second Medal of Honor came at Belleau Wood, June 1918. The Germans hurled their might to break the Allied lines, but Daly stood firm. At a critical moment, when fear clamored for retreat, he famously shouted to his men, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” That call snapped the Marines out of their shock and into relentless attack.

Outnumbered and outgunned, Daly’s squad took and held a vital position despite withering machine-gun fire and gas attacks. His leadership was not just tactical—it was elemental. Marines, battle-weary and scared, saw in Daly a father, a warrior unafraid to risk everything.

His second Medal of Honor citation describes “distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy” during the fierce battle near Bouresches. Twice wounded, Daly refused evacuation. Instead, he continued rallying troops, patching wounds, and marking a path through hell’s smoke.

Honors of Blood and Brotherhood

Daniel Daly remains one of only 19 men in U.S. history to receive two Medals of Honor—both earned in brutal, raw combat where many would break. His awards bear inscriptions of sacrifice far heavier than medals alone can convey.

Fellow Marines recalled Daly not just as a warrior, but as a legend who carried the weight of every lost comrade on his broad shoulders. “He was the baddest man I ever met,” one officer said. “But he never stopped caring for those under his command.”

His Silver Star and multiple campaign medals are shadows trailing a career thick with valor. Daly’s name is carved beside the most honored in Marine Corps history, a standard for every soldier who follows: the unyielding defender, the fearless leader, the man who dared stand when others would fall.

Legacy Etched in Blood and Faith

Daly’s story is not just about medals or headlines. It’s the raw-heart truth of combat—fear, brotherhood, sacrifice. His life insists that courage is forged in the searing pain of loss and the stubborn will to protect.

In every war, there are heroes—some loud, some silent. Daly was both. His legacy demands we remember that valor does not glitter; it grinds in mud, in screaming silence, in the prayers whispered over fallen friends.

Today, his words echo through the ranks, reminding us that greatness is measured not in glory, but in the willingness to face death for those you love.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

The battlefields fade, but the spirit of Daniel Joseph Daly endures—calling us to stand firm, to fight with honor, and to carry forward the sacred burden of sacrifice.

Sources

1. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1994 2. Charles E. Heller, The Marine Corps in the Boxer Rebellion, Naval Institute Press 3. George B. Clark, The Belleau Wood Campaign: A Marine’s Story, U.S. Marine Corps Historical Branch 4. Steve Vogel, The Marines of Belleau Wood: The Inside Story, Smithsonian Magazine