Daniel Joseph Daly, Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient

Jan 19 , 2026

Daniel Joseph Daly, Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood alone, pistol clenched, facing a storm of charging Boxer rebels. The wall behind him crumbled. His men? Scattered or cut down. No one moved but him. Two words burned in every nerve: Hold fast. In that moment, Daly became more than a soldier—he became a symbol of raw, unwavering grit.

Background & Faith

Born in Glen Cove, New York, in 1873, Daniel Joseph Daly didn’t come to war seeking glory. He came from the kind of tough Irish-American stock that valued toughness and loyalty above all. Poverty and hard work hammered out the steel in him. His mother reportedly told him, “God will not give you more than you can bear.” That faith—from smoky pews to muddy foxholes—was a quiet drumbeat in his soul.

Daly’s life reflected a warrior’s code: protect your brothers, hold the line, and keep honor in the thick of chaos. He carried the weight of Romans 5:3–4 into battle—“tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope.” To Daly, hope was forged in the fire of sacrifice, not born in comfort.

The Battle That Defined Him

In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion in China, Daly’s grit turned legend. Assigned to the U.S. Marines' China Relief Expedition, he fought alongside international forces to rescue foreign legations from the siege of Peking.

When the defensive walls buckled under a relentless Boxer assault, Daly’s response was brutal and immediate. According to eyewitness accounts from the 1st Marine Regiment’s official history, Daly single-handedly defended a breached position, rallying scattered Marines by firing his pistol and launching counterattacks that halted the enemy’s advance.[1]

His first Medal of Honor came from that merciless fighting—“for distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy… above and beyond the call of duty.” Notably, his official citation underscored his calm under fire despite overwhelming odds.

But Daly’s war wasn’t over.

The Hell of World War I

Years later, WWI split the world’s guts open. Sergeant Major Daly emerged in France with the 4th Marine Brigade, part of the American Expeditionary Forces. The Battle of Belleau Wood in June 1918 would seal his reputation.

Under artillery fire that shook trees to dust, Daly stepped forward, steadying men who were close to breaking. His voice cut through the chaos: “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” That line etched itself into Marine Corps folklore, capturing a spirit forged on sacrifice.[2]

Daly inspired troops to retake Belleau Wood, pushing back relentless German lines. He wasn’t just a leader—he was a father figure to bloodied, exhausted Marines clawing for survival.

Again, his Medal of Honor recognized his extraordinary heroism in action. But it was more than medals. Daly’s presence in the darkest moments reminded brethren that courage wasn’t the absence of fear—it was action despite it.

Recognition and Brotherly Respect

Daly’s story is unique: he earned two Medals of Honor, a feat matched by only a handful. The first, for boxer rebellion valor; the second, for heroism in World War I. The Marines respected him beyond formal citations. General John A. Lejeune called him “the fighting Marine.” Veterans spoke of Daly as a rock, a man who would fight with his last breath for those next to him.

His citation for the Boxer Rebellion reads:

“For extraordinary heroism while serving with the relief expedition of the Allied forces in China.”

And in WWI:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”

Daly’s scars ran deeper than the surface wounds. They etched character, history, and the harsh truth of leadership in combat.

Legacy & Lessons

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly’s story is not just about medals or legends. It’s about the cost poured into every step forward on a blood-soaked field. “Pain is weakness leaving the body,” he reputedly said—not a platitude, but a testament to enduring through hell and becoming more than fear.

His legacy is a battle hymn for every veteran who’s stared down chaos and kept moving.

Daly reminds us that courage lives in the desperation of a moment, and heroism is carved wholly from sacrifice. For those bearing scars—visible or silent—his life speaks to redemption after every fight. The battlefield isn't a place of glory alone. It’s a crucible where faith, grit, and brotherhood merge.

“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

Daly walked that promise into every hellish scene. So should we.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, The History of the First Marine Regiment, 1900 Campaign Archive. 2. Millett, Allan R., Semper Fidelis: The History of the United States Marine Corps, Updated Edition.