Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly, Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor

Jan 28 , 2026

Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly, Marine Who Earned Two Medals of Honor

Blood runs hot and cold in these stories. But some men? They burn with a fire that never quits. Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly was one of those rare men. Two Medals of Honor. Not because he sought glory, but because he stood when others fell. Because valor became his voice on a world at war.

From Jersey Streets to Marine Corps Steel

Daly’s story begins in Glen Cove, New York, 1873. Irish-American roots. Working-class grit. A kid with fists and fast hands, no stranger to hard knocks. He joined the Marines in 1899. Not for fortune or fame. For duty. A personal code stitched tight around faith and honor.

He carried his belief like armor. A Christian soldier grounded in Proverbs, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). For Daly, courage was as spiritual as it was physical—a fight for what’s right, no matter the cost.

The Battle That Defined Him: China, 1900

The Boxer Rebellion was a brutal crucible. In Tientsin, China, 1900, Daly found himself defending a position against overwhelming odds. The streets ran with blood and chaos. The enemy closed in under savage fire.

Most men would retreat. Not Daly.

With rifle in one hand and a flaming torch in the other, he led Marines ceaselessly, rallying the wounded and wild-hearted alike. His Medal of Honor citation reads:

“During the night of July 13, 1900, Sergeant Daniel J. Daly distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in battle against the enemy at Tientsin, China.”[1]

A moment etched in history and legend: Daly reportedly shouted, “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?”—spurring his Marines to hold the line.

The Immortal Line: Belleau Wood, 1918

World War I tested Daly's mettle all over again. By 1918, as a Gunnery Sergeant, he stood in the hellfire of Belleau Wood, France. The woods were a graveyard; each step a crawl through mud and death.

No one broke that line—not on Daly’s watch.

During brutal German assaults, amid relentless shelling and machine-gun fire, he rallied his men with raw fervor. Twice wounded, he refused evacuation. His leadership was the steel backbone of the Marine offensive.

His second Medal of Honor citation puts it plainly:

“For heroism and bravery above and beyond the call of duty at the Battle of Belleau Wood, France.”[2]

“We’re surrounded. That simplifies our problem of getting to these people,” Daly reportedly said, embodying grit inching toward resolve rather than despair.

Decorations That Tell A Story

Daly earned much more than medals—he earned respect that endures. Two Medals of Honor, the Navy Cross, and countless other commendations reflect a man who embodied Marine Corps values when it mattered most.

Legendary General Smedley Butler called him “the fightingest Marine I ever knew.” Let that sink in. One Marine vet to another, speaking truth about a soldier’s spirit.

Blood and Redemption: What Daly Teaches Us

Daniel Joseph Daly’s legacy isn't just about bullets and bravery. It’s about why we fight—something deeper than politics or pride. It’s about the battle for the soul of a man when there’s no one left to stand with you.

His courage was prayer in action. Sacrifice turned into salvation—not flawless, but real. War scars don’t fade. They write a story of human frailty and divine redemption.

When dawn breaks on modern battles, remember what Daly stood for: fearless defiance in the darkest hour. A reminder that valor doesn’t ask for applause. It demands duty—to brother, country, and a cause greater than self.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” — John 15:13

Those words echo in every step forward, from Tientsin to Belleau Wood, through the decades that bleed into today’s fight. Sgt. Maj. Daniel Joseph Daly did not seek to live forever. He chose to live worthy. And that is the ultimate victory.

Sources

[1] Merriam, Jim. Medal of Honor Recipients: Boxer Rebellion (U.S. Army Center of Military History) [2] Shulimson, Jack et al. U.S. Marines in WWI: Belleau Wood (History and Museums Division, HQMC)