Daniel Joseph Daly, Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient

Nov 13 , 2025

Daniel Joseph Daly, Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient

A man stands alone on the razor’s edge of hell. Gunfire cracks, screams tear the night, and still he moves forward—unshaken, unmoved, unbroken. This was Daniel Joseph Daly, the warrior who stared death down twice and told it to wait in line.

A Mountain of a Man Rooted in Faith and Duty

Daniel Joseph Daly was no stranger to hardship. Born in Glen Cove, New York, in 1873, he carved himself out of the rough timber of a working-class Irish-American family. There was no luxury. No soft words. What shaped him was the grind—the kind that makes a man hold fast to his faith and his own unyielding code of honor.

“God has His purposes,” Daly reportedly believed, casting his actions under a veil of divine will that gave his courage a righteous weight. His faith wasn’t some whispered prayer in comfort — it was the steel in his backbone when chaos broke loose. A Marine Corps infantryman through and through, Daly adopted the mantle of unwavering service.

The Battle That Defined Him Twice Over

In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion in China, the world watched imperial powers clash with the starving, desperate Boxers. Daly was with the 1st Marine Regiment, holding the line at the Tianjin area, where bullets flew and the stench of death hung thick. It was here Daly earned his first Medal of Honor.

Amidst a harrowing defense of the Legation Quarter, Daly charged into the melee, rallying his men against overwhelming odds. Twice during the defense, he dashed forward with a rifle in one hand and pistol in the other, tearing through enemy lines. His valor shone brightest where fear was darkest.

Then, the Great War came. By 1918, Sgt. Major Daly was a legend in the Corps, battle-worn but fierce as ever—leading men into the mud and blood of Belleau Wood. This hellish front was no place for wavering. Under relentless artillery and machine-gun fire, Daly reportedly single-handedly charged a machine-gun nest, shouting for his men to follow.

This act of raw heroism won him his second Medal of Honor, making him one of only a handful of Americans ever decorated twice with the nation’s highest military honor. Thomas Edison once called him “the greatest Marine,” and no Marine officer of his day would argue.

Medal of Honor Citations—Words Etched in Blood

Daly’s first Medal of Honor citation reads:

"Throughout the action in the legation quarter of Peking, China, on 20, 21, and 22 June 1900, Daly distinguished himself by his conduct, coolness, and courage. Under fire, he rallied desperate men in a hopeless defense."[^1]

His second, awarded for actions July 18, 1918, at the Battle of Belleau Wood, says:

"While acting as a messenger between units under constant heavy fire, Sgt. Major Daly voluntarily charged a machine gun nest that was holding up the advance, killing or capturing the enemy while exposing himself to much danger."[^2]

When questioned about his heroism, Daly famously said, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” A warcry that embodied his gritty ethos.

Legacy Etched in Iron and Honor

Daly’s story is more than medals and battle reports—it’s a testament to relentless spirit forged in combat and refined by faith. His service spanned decades, but his scars—both seen and unseen—told the story of sacrifice few could grasp.

For every bullet he dodged, every charge he led, Daly carried the weight of countless brothers-in-arms. His legacy is whispered in the bunkers, remembered in the uniforms passed down to new generations. Men who walk onto the field in his name carry a torch lit by his fierce example.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles…” — Isaiah 40:31

Daly's life was a shadow cast long over the centuries—warrior, leader, vet. But also a man who understood that courage is no absence of fear, but the resolve to move forward toward a purpose greater than self.

There’s a bitter edge to heroism, a bloodstain no medal can wash away. Daniel Joseph Daly bore it with unflinching eyes—showing us that true valor is born not from glory, but from grit, faith, and the will to stand tall when all else falls apart. To fight, to lead, to sacrifice. To live—and to die—for the cause of brotherhood and country.

[^1]: U.S. Marine Corps Medal of Honor Citation, Boxer Rebellion [^2]: U.S. Marine Corps Medal of Honor Citation, World War I (Battle of Belleau Wood)