Sergeant Major Daniel J. Daly Marine Twice Awarded the Medal of Honor

Dec 08 , 2025

Sergeant Major Daniel J. Daly Marine Twice Awarded the Medal of Honor

Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly stood in the inferno, grenades exploding around him, bullets tearing through the air like hailstones on a coffin. In that blistering moment, he barked orders and charged forward—alone when necessary. The enemy swarmed, but Daly fought like a man with no fear of death, only duty. He was a one-man shield and a blazing sword—fierce, unyielding, immortal in valor.

The Battle That Forged a Warrior

Born in Glen Cove, New York, in 1873, Daly came from hard, honest stock. Irish immigrant parents toughened him with faith and grit. No silver spoons—only the iron resolve of a working-class man who learned early that pride in service and sacrifice is all that stands between order and chaos.

His faith ran deep, not the kind whispering softly in comfort, but the anchor in storms churned by gunfire and bloodshed. The Christian code shaped his every step: love your brother as yourself, lay down your life for others. That ancient doctrine was battlefield gospel.

The Boxer Rebellion — First Medal of Honor

In 1900, amid the ruins of Tientsin, China, Daly’s Marine unit faced overwhelming odds during the Boxer Rebellion. The city was aflame, streets crawling with desperate fighters. Daly reportedly snatched a rifle from a wounded soldier and climbed a parapet under fire, raining down kills on enemies trying to break the line.

“I’d rather fight my way out than live any other way,” Daly said later. In those brutal hours, alone against a storm of attackers, he kept his composure—leading men, rallying spirits, turning the tide with sheer will. For conspicuous bravery, Daly earned his first Medal of Honor.

World War I — Hell on the Somme, Second Medal of Honor

WWI tested his mettle in a new hell. Captain Daly commanded Marines at the Battle of Belleau Wood, 1918—a place soaked with mud, blood, and unyielding German machine gun nests. The air was thick with artillery smoke, and every step forward was a march through death itself.

Amid the chaos, Daly is famously credited with shouting, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” His roar shattered fear like glass. He led relentless charges, sometimes single-handedly engaging enemy nests with rifle and bayonet. The Marine Corps’ official records cite his “extraordinary heroism and leadership… inspiring the attack with daring example.”

His medal citation reads:

While in command of his company, he gallantly advanced under heavy fire, took out enemy machine gun positions, and helped secure victory against overwhelming odds.

He was promoted to Sergeant Major shortly afterward, the highest enlisted rank, embodying the Marine ethos of semper fidelis—always faithful even unto death.

The Man Behind the Medals

Medals don’t tell the whole story. Daly was a brother-in-arms who fully embraced the burden of leadership. Fellow Marines described him as uncompromisingly honest, sometimes blunt, but always present. He never asked a man to do something he wouldn’t do himself.

His faith infused his actions—not in flashy speeches, but in silent, steadfast courage. After decades of service, he reflected quietly:

“I’m not a hero. I’m a Marine doing his duty. The spirits of those who fell keep me walking.”

When asked about his double Medal of Honor, Daly shrugged:

“I just did what had to be done. It wasn’t for glory.”

Enduring Legacy — Courage, Sacrifice, Redemption

Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph Daly’s legacy stretches beyond medals into the marrow of Marine Corps history. Twice awarded the nation’s highest praise for valor, his courage was forged in the crucible of savage combat and bound by an unbreakable code. In his grit and sacrifice lies a lesson: true heroism means standing firm when fear screams louder than hope.

His story reminds all who wear or respect the uniform that valor is not in the absence of fear, but in the refusal to be paralyzed by it. In a world quick to forget the scars of war, Daly’s life calls us back to remember—and to honor the quiet battles of sacrifice endured long after the guns fall silent.

“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

Through his blood and faith, Sergeant Major Daly walked a path from mortal combat to something greater—a legacy that whispers still in every Marine’s soul, reminding us how to live, how to fight, and how to die.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients: Boxer Rebellion & World War I 2. Walter J. Eldredge, The Struggle for Belleau Wood, U.S. Marine Corps Historical Center 3. Robert D. Heinl Jr., Soldiering With the Marines, Historical Memoirs 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Daniel J. Daly Citation