Jan 16 , 2026

Daniel Joseph Daly, Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient at Belleau Wood

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood soaked in sweat and grime beneath a blistering sun where hell’s fire had no limits. His rifle jammed, his breath ragged, but the enemy clawed closer. There was no retreat. No surrender. Just raw grit and bone-deep resolve. In the chaos of battle, Daly embodied the warrior’s soul — unyielding, fierce, and fearless.

---

Born of Grit and Faith

Daniel Daly was no stranger to hardship. Born in Glen Cove, New York, 1873, his roots were humble, forged by hard work and unshakeable faith. He carried a simple, sturdy code: fight for your brothers, stand for your country, and never back down. The son of an Irish immigrant, Daly found strength in church pews and on the streets, learning early that courage wasn’t just born — it was built.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God,” but Daly knew peace often rose from sacrifice, sacrifice shaped by conviction and honor. The battlefield was his confessional, where faith met fury.

---

The Boxer Rebellion: Defiance Under Fire

In 1900, as a private with the Marine Corps, Daly found himself in the siege of Peking, China. The Boxer Rebellion had trapped Allied forces inside the legation quarter, surrounded by a sea of hostile insurgents. In the inferno of close combat and relentless siege, Daly didn’t flinch.

Twice, during the battle, he was recognized for extraordinary heroism. Once, when enemy forces stormed the defenses, Daly took up the fiercest point, rallying his fellow Marines with deadly accuracy and sheer guts. His Medal of Honor citation for actions at Peking reads: “In the presence of the enemy during the battle of Peking, China, 20 June to 16 July 1900, Sergeant Major Daly distinguished himself by meritorious conduct.”

The grit behind those words? Daly singlehandedly repelled an enemy advance with a rifle and pistol, covering retreating comrades until salvation arrived.

---

The Battle That Defined Him: Belleau Wood, WWI

Fourteen years later, the brutal trenches of World War I defined a new crucible. As Sgt. Maj. Daly, now a battle-hardened veteran, he found himself at Belleau Wood, France, 1918 — where the U.S. Marines forged their mythos in iron and blood.

Under relentless artillery, amid choking gas and mud, Daly saw his men falter. The Germans pushed forward, and the unit faced annihilation. Daly walked the line like death itself, barking orders and loading magazines. But what came next cemented his legend.

When a unit lost by a German counterattack began retreating, Daly shouted:

“Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?”

This raw command pierced through chaos like a battle cry. It steeled the broken Marines to rally, push forward, and hold the line. That single phrase is credited with stirring the fighting spirit that Day to hold Belleau Wood — a turning point that cemented the Marines as a decisive force in the war.

For his relentless courage, Daly earned another Medal of Honor. His second citation highlights his valor on 26 June 1918, "while serving with the 6th Regiment (Marines), 2nd Division, American Expeditionary Forces ... heroically attacked and captured a hostile machine gun nest."

---

Honors Earned in Blood

Daniel Daly’s decorations tell only half the story. Two Medals of Honor in separate wars — an achievement shared by just a few in Marine Corps history. He also received the Navy Cross and multiple other commendations for leadership and valor.

Generals and comrades alike respected him. Gen. John Lejeune called him “the greatest Marine who ever lived.” Not for swagger, but his endurance. For a warrior who shouldered the burden of frontline combat time and again, refusing to quit.

His scars were invisible too — countless nights spent carrying men, swallowing fear, staring down death for the sake of honor.

---

Legacy Written in Blood and Steel

Daly’s life teaches that courage is not the absence of fear — but action in spite of it. His story is one carved into the soul of the Corps and the nation. He marched through decades of war not just with his rifle, but with a deeper call to protect and serve.

“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

His battle cry echoes still, a testament that true warriors fight not for glory, but for those who stand beside them.

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly shines through the fog of war like a beacon — proof that heroism is forged in sacrifice, upheld by faith, and remembered forever.

---

Sources

1. Marine Corps History Division — “Daniel Joseph Daly: Twice Medal of Honor Recipient,” Marine Corps Gazette 2. United States Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Citations, World War I” 3. Alexander, Joseph. The Fighter Spirit of Belleau Wood, Naval Institute Press 4. Lejeune, John A., The Reminiscences of General John A. Lejeune, USMC Command Publication

---

Older Post Newer Post

---