How Daniel J. Daly's Courage Won Two Medals of Honor

Dec 12 , 2025

How Daniel J. Daly's Courage Won Two Medals of Honor

Rain-slicked streets of Peking. Explosions ripping through the night. Sgt. Major Daniel Joseph Daly stood with the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. No orders but one: hold the line. Bullets hammered around him, but he was steel. One man against chaos. The Boxer Rebellion was its own crucible—a storm where only the fiercest could endure. Daly was not just a survivor. He was a legend forged in blood.

From Brooklyn to Battle

Born in 1873, Daniel Joseph Daly came from the rough-and-tumble streets of New York City. A kid who learned early that hard work and grit kept you alive. Enlisted in the Marines at just 17, the Corps shaped him—a brotherhood, a calling greater than self. His faith not piously preached but lived—duty, honor, sacrifice—a warrior’s creed etched deep.

The Marine Corps hymn echoes like a psalm in his bones. His life was testimony: “From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli.” He embodied that—taking the name and legacy seriously. Daly believed in facing fear head-on. There was no glory in running. Only sacrifice and redemption in the fight.

Blood on the Streets of Tientsin

In 1900, amid the Boxer Rebellion, foreign legations in China came under siege. It was a brutal siege. Marines had to push through streets thick with enemy fire, snipers perched like vultures. It was here Daly earned his first Medal of Honor.

On July 13, 1900, during the battle for Tientsin, Daly’s unit faced wave after wave of enemy soldiers. When a machine gun position was threatened, Daly didn’t hesitate. Armed with only a rifle and courage, he charged through the open, holding the ground under intense fire until reinforcements arrived.

His citation reads simply: “For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy.” But no words can capture the grit it took to stand alone. This was not luck or recklessness—this was iron resolve. A man who chose to carry the fight forward, no matter the cost.[1]

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

Fifteen years later, World War I smashed the continent to pieces. Marine Corps units took the front lines in France. Daly was a sergeant major now—a battlefield legend but still front and center.

During the Battle of Belleau Wood in June 1918, a hellscape etched into Marine history, Daly rallied a stalled attack. Surrounded by enemy fire, his men hesitated. He screamed out one of the most iconic battlefield calls in Marine lore:

“Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?”[2]

That line was more than bravado—it was a challenge and a wake-up call. They surged forward amid machine-gun fire, cutting through Nazi steel and mud, embodying America's ferocity and heart. For this act, Daly earned his second Medal of Honor. The citation:

“For extraordinary heroism and gallantry in action while serving as Sergeant Major... continuously directed and encouraged his men under heavy fire.”[3]

Two Medals of Honor separated by nearly two decades. Two wars. One unyielding warrior. Daly’s legacy was not in medals but in the spirit he lit in those around him.

Scarred and Honored

Daly’s decorations don’t just tell a story of battle; they speak of leadership forged in the dirt and carnage of combat. Fellow Marines remembered him not just as a hero but a man of character. Major General John A. Lejeune praised Daly’s “unparalleled courage and devotion to duty.”[4]

His heroism was no showpiece. It was raw, bloody, and sacrificial. The scars—both seen and unseen—were the true medals he wore. To stand defiant when the enemy offers death, to lift scared men out of despair, requires a spirit beyond mortal reckoning.

The Legacy of a Warrior’s Soul

Daly shaped what it means to be a Marine. His courage, grit, and relentless will craft a lineage carried forward by every recruit who recites the Creed and vows to never break.

But his story is more than military lore. It is a testament to the battle within every man forced to face darkness. A reminder from scripture:

“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

Sgt. Major Daniel Joseph Daly battled not just bullets but fear and doubt—the true enemies. In him, courage was an act of faith, sacrifice a pathway to redemption.

When the smoke clears, legends remain—etched in blood and honor. Daniel J. Daly did not fight for medals or pages in history. He fought so others could stand another day. His voice still echoes on battlefields and barracks: “Do you want to live forever?” The answer is etched eternal—in every soul who chooses courage over fear.

Sources

1. United States Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citation, Daniel Joseph Daly (Boxer Rebellion) 2. Sledge, E.B., “With the Old Breed,” Marine Corps War Memoir 3. United States Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citation, Daniel Joseph Daly (World War I) 4. Lejeune, John A., Letters and Records, 1918–1920