Dec 13 , 2025
Sergeant Major Daniel Daly, the Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor
Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly stood in the blood-soaked dirt of Peking—alone against the tide—holding back waves of enemy relentless as the night. His rifle barked defiance into the chaos. They couldn’t break him. They didn’t break him.
This was no ordinary Marine. This was a warrior forged in the crucible of fire twice over, a man whose name is carved into the marrow of Marine Corps legend.
The Making of a Warrior
Born in 1873 in Glen Cove, New York, Daniel Daly grew into a man shaped by hard knocks, the kind of grit born from immigrant roots and working-class sweat. Raised Catholic, his faith was steady—less about ceremony, more an unwavering compass through darkness.
“I fight because it’s right to protect what’s left of good,” he once muttered, a soldier’s prayer in the ranks. His honor code wasn’t written in words but etched on bone — loyalty, courage, and sacrifice before self.
A lifetime enlisted man, Daly enlisted repeatedly, rising through the ranks to Sergeant Major — the highest enlisted rank, a testament to iron discipline and fierce leadership.
The Boxer Rebellion: A First Act of Valor
In the summer of 1900, amidst the uprising in China known as the Boxer Rebellion, Daly was a Private First Class in the 1st Marine Regiment. The coalition forces were holed up in Peking, defending the legation quarter from waves of besieging Boxers and Imperial troops.
It was here, amid hellfire and blistering close quarters, Daly earned his first Medal of Honor. On July 13, under withering enemy fire, he led charges to repel multiple enemy assaults—each time driving them back with sustained rifle fire and hand grenades.
His citation reads:
“Distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in battle near Peking, China, 13 July 1900. In the face of the enemy, Sergeant Daly displayed conspicuous courage and gallantry.”[1]
They called him “the fightingest Marine alive” — a title he would justify again and again.
The War to End All Wars: Action in the Trenches
World War I battered the world with smoke and steel, and Sergeant Major Daly answered the call once more. Near Belleau Wood, 1918, his battalion faced punishing German machine gun nests and artillery barrages.
On June 27, 1918, during a fierce counterattack, Daly saw his men pinned and dying under close fire. Instead of waiting for orders, he leapt forward alone, armed with just a pistol, charging the enemy stronghold.
He shouted encouragement, threw grenades with deadly precision, silenced enemy weapons one by one. His fearless advance punched holes in the German defenses, paving the way for his Marines’ advance.
This was the action that earned him his second Medal of Honor, an unprecedented honor at the time:
“For extraordinary heroism while serving with the Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action near Belleau Wood, France, 28 June 1918. Sergeant Major Daly, by his superior courage and leadership, inspired his men to great achievements.”[2]
Chaplain John R. Allan, a witness, recalled,
“To see Daly charge forward, fearless, was to see a man who carried the weight of the fight on his shoulders.”[3]
Recognition Beyond Medals
Two Medals of Honor. Countless Silver Stars, Navy Cross, good conduct medals — a treasure of honor, yes. But more than ribbons, it was the respect from generations of Marines and soldiers that stamped Daly’s legacy.
General Smedley Butler, himself a two-time Medal of Honor recipient, famously said of Daly:
“If you want to know what a man looks like when he’s scared but doesn’t show it, just look at Dan Daly.”[4]
No glory hog, Daly carried his scars silent. His courage wasn’t boastful — it was carved out in the mud, blood, and brotherhood of combat.
Lessons Etched in Blood and Faith
Daly’s story is not just one of valor; it’s the human story beneath the medals. The brotherhood that binds warfighters, the sacrifices unseen by civilians, and the price paid in sweat and silent nights.
Remember this verse:
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” — Deuteronomy 31:6
His faith, quiet but unshaken, carried him through hell. His example teaches that true courage is more than fearless action — it’s the resolve to stand when others fall and the will to lead through the worst of it.
Daniel Joseph Daly wore his scars like badges of honor — reminders that victory is never won without sacrifice, and that the greatest legacy is a warrior’s enduring spirit.
The fightingest Marine didn’t just fight battles; he fought for those who followed. His story is a summons to every veteran and civilian alike: Honor the scars, remember the cost, and carry forward the torch of sacrifice.
Sources
1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients: Daniel J. Daly, 1900. 2. U.S. Army Center of Military History, World War I Medal of Honor Recipients, 1918. 3. Allan, John R., Memoirs of a Marine Chaplain, 1929. 4. Smedley D. Butler, War is a Racket, 1935.
Related Posts
Jacklyn Harold Lucas, Youngest Marine to Receive Medal of Honor
John Basilone, Marine Hero of Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima
James E. Robinson Jr.'s Valor at Brest Earned the Medal of Honor