Marine Daniel Daly and Two Medals of Honor from Tientsin to Belleau

Nov 19 , 2025

Marine Daniel Daly and Two Medals of Honor from Tientsin to Belleau

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly stood alone at the collapsing gate. Bullets screamed past—tearing flesh, punching wood. The enemy pressed every inch, relentless, brutal. Yet, with a calm born of steel, he barked orders and swung his rifle with savage fury. "Come on, you sons of bitches, you’re made of rubber, aren’t you? 'Cause you just keep coming back!" His voice cut through the chaos like a warhammer. That defiance became legend.

The Blood and Faith That Forged Him

Born in Glen Cove, New York, 1873, Daniel Daly was no stranger to hardship. His mother’s Irish Catholic faith shaped his early years, instilling a deep sense of duty and an unyielding moral code. In a world that chewed men up and spit them out, Daly learned early the weight of sacrifice. His time in the Corps wasn't merely about tactics or muscle—it was about a relentless commitment to something higher than self.

Before the first shot was fired, he carried a warrior’s creed beyond the battlefield: protect your brothers, fight with honor, and never back down. “Greater love hath no man than this,” he might have felt, echoing the scriptures in his marrow as war tested his resolve.^1

The Gates of Tientsin: Valor Amidst the Boxer Rebellion

1900. China’s Boxer Rebellion consumed the streets of Tientsin. The weak and innocent trembled as insurgents and rebels swarmed with fire and steel. Daly’s unit was at the front lines defending foreign legations under siege.

At the storming of the city gate, Daly spearheaded a counterattack that defied all logic. With pistol and rifle in hand, he silenced enemy snipers and kept the breach from collapsing. When his comrades faltered, his voice became a shield, and his actions, lightning. His Medal of Honor citation reads:

“For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy in the battle of Tientsin, China, on 20 July 1900, in assisting to drive the enemy from their entrenched positions.”^2

Few realize this was only the prelude.

Belleau Wood: The Fire That Burned a Legend

Fast forward to 1918. The First World War churned the heart of Europe into mud and blood. Lieutenant Daniel Daly, now hardened and precise, faced the hellscape of Belleau Wood. The woods were dense, but death was more so.

During fierce combat, with his unit shattered under heavy machine-gun fire, Daly ordered an audacious charge. Reports say he stormed the German trenches alone—not once, but twice—each time hurling grenades and driving the enemy back. The woods echoed with the roar of his rallying cry.

His actions on June 6, 1918, earned him his second Medal of Honor:

“During the advance, Lt. Daly, alone and unaided, attacked a machine gun position which was causing heavy casualties and held it until reinforcements came up. Later, he again single-handedly charged a machine gun nest, capturing it with 12 prisoners.”^3

This rare distinction—two Medals of Honor—cements him among Marine Corps immortals.

The Soldier’s Soldier: Recognition Carved in Steel and Respect

Daly’s accolades extended beyond medals. Marines revered him as a leader who earned respect with his actions, not words. After Belleau Wood, General John A. Lejeune famously remarked that Daly’s courage was “unmatched by any Marine in our Corps.” His name became whispered in barracks, a symbol of relentless toughness fused with unbreakable spirit.

His Silver Star, awarded for gallantry in the 1914 Veracruz landing, adds another mark to a storied career.^4 Yet Daly never bowed to glory. His battlefield scars were medals of survival, not vanity.

Legacy: The Warrior’s Enduring Testament

Daniel Joseph Daly’s life is a roadmap for grit and grace. From the Boxer gates to the shattered forests of France, he embodied something rare: fearless leadership blended with resolute faith.

“The soldier who prays is the soldier who survives,” they might have said in hushed tones. Daly’s example reminds us that courage is not the absence of fear but the will to act in spite of it. It is not glory but sacrifice that defines a warrior’s soul.

His story does not end with medals and anecdotes. It lives in every Marine who walks into the fire, every veteran who bears invisible wounds, every citizen who honors sacrifice over spectacle.

“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

The gates Daly defended have long crumbled. The woods at Belleau are silent now. But courage like his? It is eternal. When the world’s dark corners call, there will always be a Daniel Daly.

Sources

1. William M. McBride Jr., "The Marine Corps in the Boxer Rebellion," U.S. Marine Corps History Division 2. Medal of Honor Citation: Daniel J. Daly, July 20, 1900, Tientsin, China, Congressional Medal of Honor Society 3. Medal of Honor Citation: Daniel J. Daly, June 6, 1918, Belleau Wood, France, Naval History and Heritage Command 4. Silver Star Citation, Veracruz, 1914, National Archives Marine Corps Records