Sergeant Major Daniel J. Daly of Belleau Wood and Two Medals of Honor

Dec 16 , 2025

Sergeant Major Daniel J. Daly of Belleau Wood and Two Medals of Honor

Sergeant Major Daniel J. Daly stood alone amid a sea of charging Boxers. Bullets tore through the air like angry hornets. His Marines were pinned down, outnumbered, desperate. And there he was—calm, razor-focused—swinging a rifle butt, rallying his brothers with nothing but raw guts and unyielding will. “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” he roared.

This moment forged his legend. It wasn’t theater. It was survival, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bond of war.

Roots in Grit and Grace

Born in 1873, in a dusty corner of Philadelphia, Daly’s road to the Corps was etched in hardship. The raw streets shaped his backbone, but it was faith and fierce loyalty that drove him forward. Raised Irish Catholic, his early life was stitched with struggle, yet also prayer. His sense of duty wasn’t just to country—it was to a higher calling.

“Blessed are the peacemakers,” the Good Book says. But for men like Daly, peace was earned in fire. He carried that belief into every hellish fight he faced.

The Tiger of the Boxer Rebellion

July 1900. Tientsin, China. The Boxer Rebellion had boiled the city into chaos. The Marines were tasked with holding the foreign legations against waves of enemy fighters. Daly’s unit was surrounded, running low on ammo, the walls closing in.

Against the tide, Daly stood sentinel, cutting down attackers with unmatched ferocity. When grenades landed near his rifle squad, he singlehandedly rushed to throw them back—saving lives, breaking the enemy’s charge.

He earned his first Medal of Honor here. The citation speaks truth: “For extraordinary heroism in action in the presence of the enemy at Tientsin, China, July 13, 1900.” Few men can claim to have stared death in the eye, and then laughed[1].

Hell and Valor at Belleau Wood

Fast forward fourteen years: the mud of Belleau Wood, 1918. World War I’s fiercest battle. Twenty-one hot, brutal days fought with rifle, bayonet, and stubborn grit. Daly, by then a Sergeant Major, was the spine of his battalion.

American Marines were new to this slaughter. They faced withering machine-gun fire and artillery that tore trenches apart. But Daly didn’t waver. Under relentless shelling, he moved up and down the line, rallying men, directing counterattacks, even fixing broken communications phone lines—while exposed to enemy fire.

The legend says Daly stood on a shell crater, loud and fearless, encouraging his men forward. His courage inspired a weary, battered battalion to press the attack and hold the wood.

This earned him his second Medal of Honor. The citation lauds “distinguished conduct,” and “exceptionally heroic service.” Two Medals of Honor—an isle of valor few have ever reached[2].

The Quiet Giant Honored

Daly’s decorations read like a roster of American martial glory: two Medals of Honor, two Navy Crosses, the Distinguished Service Cross, and numerous other citations. The man never sought glory. An officer once said simply, “He was a born leader—quiet but ferocious.”

His own words to his Marines were never flowery, just real:

“You keep moving, keep fighting—never quit.”

Veterans who served alongside him called Daly “The Tiger of Belleau,” for his unrelenting spirit and ferocity on every battlefield.

Legacy Burned in Blood and Faith

Daly’s story is more than medals and heroics. It’s about sacrifice that carves deep scars in flesh and soul. A reminder of what war demands from ordinary men turned warriors.

He lived by a warrior’s code: courage, loyalty, and faith in God’s justice amid the chaos of man’s brutality. “But he was also a man who knew the cost,” wrote historians.

His life challenges us to stare into the abyss with honesty—and to find redemption in service, pain, and survival.

“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

Daly’s legacy is a call to endure, stand firm, and fight the good fight—not just in war, but in the battles that define our humanity. His scars run deep in American history. His example burns bright for every soldier who carries the weight of sacrifice.

Sources

[1] U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Recipients: China Relief Expedition (Boxer Rebellion) [2] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: World War I