Nov 10 , 2025
Daniel Joseph Daly The Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor
Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood alone, rifle empty, surrounded by enemies on all sides—yet he roared back, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” The words shattered the silence in the choking heat of the Boxer Rebellion. A man not just fighting for ground, but for every drop of honor left in the mud.
Background & Faith
Born in Glen Cove, New York, 1873. Daniel Joseph Daly was no stranger to hardship. The working-class grit molded him, but his faith was steel beneath his skin. Catholic by upbringing, he carried a quiet code of duty and sacrifice.
Faith wasn’t just ritual; it was armor—the belief that something greater watched over the chaos and pain. It lent him the patience to endure and the courage to lead men into hell and back. In the roar, he found comfort in scripture, perhaps Proverbs 21:31:
“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.”
He joined the Marines in 1899, a fresh recruit stepping into a world still boiling from Spain’s ashes. But Daly was already preparing for war that wasn’t yet on any map.
The Battles That Forged a Legend
First Medal of Honor, 1900—Boxer Rebellion, China. The Marines, defending the International Legations in Peking, were outnumbered and trapped. Enemy bullets and war cries thundered like the fall of kingdoms. Daly, an ordinary corporal, refused to break the lines.
On June 20, he held the advance for hours under murderous fire, helping turn back waves of attackers. The citation simply states:
“In the presence of the enemy during the battle near Tientsin, China, 20 June 1900, Daly distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism.”[1]
His defiance echoed in every corner of that siege.
The Second Collar Brass: World War I
Daly’s valor didn't burn out—it only intensified.
By 1918, Sgt. Maj. Daly was the senior enlisted Marine in the 4th Marine Brigade. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was hell itself—miles of mud, exploding artillery shells, and enemy machine-gun nests like iron wolves waiting in the brush.
During the Battle of Belleau Wood, alongside other Marines, his leadership was ferocious and fearless. Soldiers called him “the Fightingest Marine.” One Marine, Col. John A. Lejeune, reflected on Daly’s impact:
“He exemplified the fighting spirit and the courage to stand in face of impossible odds.”[2]
No man pushed further forward under fire, rallying troops through smoke and blood. His second Medal of Honor citation recognized him for heroism on June 9–13, 1918:
“For extraordinary heroism in action in the Bois de Belleau, France, while serving with the 73rd Company, 6th Regiment, U.S. Marines… achievement which has never been equaled in all the annals of the Corps.”[3]
Daly was the first Marine to receive two Medals of Honor, a testament not to luck, but relentless valor.
Recognition and Scars
Two Medals of Honor. A Navy Cross. The Navy Distinguished Service Medal. Battle stripes earned in two continents. Yet Daly never sought glory—only to live and fight in a way that would bring his comrades home.
He rose to Sergeant Major, the Corps’ highest enlisted rank. His leadership wasn’t just about tactics, but example. Men fought harder because Daly stood with them, bled with them. A quiet warrior who let his machete and his voice do the talking.
Legacy & Lessons
Daly’s life is not merely a story of heroic pistol shots and desperate charges—it’s a testament to what it means to carry the weight of war.
In every hero lies brokenness and purpose intertwined. The scars on Daly’s body and soul were seals upon his mission—a mission of protection, sacrifice, and faith in impossible odds.
To today’s veterans and civilians alike, Daly’s story demands this: Courage is not absence of fear, but defiance of it. Leadership is not position but presence in the storm. And honor lives forever, long after the guns fall silent.
He lived and died in the shadow of sacrifice—his call to arms echoing still—“Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” The question lingers beyond the battlefield, challenging every man and woman who dares to stand for something greater than themselves.
“The greatest among you shall be your servant.” — Matthew 23:11
Daly served with a ferocity that outlasted war and etched into history the raw truth of sacrifice. To serve is to fight not for fame but for the soul of your brother, your country, your future.
Sources
1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: China Relief Expedition (Boxer Rebellion) 2. Lejeune, John A., The Reminiscences of John A. Lejeune, USMC History and Museums Division 3. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citations: World War I
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