Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient Daniel Daly at Belleau Wood

Dec 30 , 2025

Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient Daniel Daly at Belleau Wood

The air was thick with smoke and sweat. Bullets struck earth and flesh alike, but Daniel Joseph Daly stood unflinching, his voice cutting through chaos like a blade. “Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” That was no taunt. It was a challenge. A call to arms that would echo through history—etched in blood and spirit.

The Making of a Warrior

Born in Glen Cove, New York, in 1873, Daniel Daly wasn’t bred in luxury or comfort. The streets were his school, the docks his playground. His heart beat Marine Corps green the moment he enlisted in 1899. This was a man shaped by grit and faith, a soldier who carried a reverence deeper than the rifle on his shoulder.

Daly’s faith wasn’t flashy—no grand sermons or declarations. It was a steady anchor, quietly fueling his code of honor. He believed in something greater than glory or medals. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) That scripture was the marrow of his courage.

The Battle That Defined Him: Boxer Rebellion to World War I

The Boxer Rebellion, 1900. China’s ancient fury against foreign powers erupted in bloody streets. Daly found himself at Tientsin, under siege, a force beset by relentless enemies. His Marines bristled with determination, but it was Daly who sparked the fight back. Facing the onslaught, he braved enemy fire to rescue wounded comrades. Twice awarded the Medal of Honor for that campaign, that was just the opening chapter.His first MOH citation reads of “extraordinary heroism, distinguished conduct, and gallantry in action.”

Then came World War I. The mud-choked fields of Belleau Wood, 1918. A crucible of hell where courage was tested beyond reason. Daly, now a Sergeant Major, found himself among the 5th Marine Regiment. Surrounded, outnumbered, and under relentless fire, he watched his men falter.

Without hesitation, Daly lept into the fray with grenades in hand, a living beacon of fierce determination. He called his Marines forward, rallied their faltering resolve, and forced the enemy back. The Medal of Honor came again—not for a single act, but for relentless grit that refused to yield.His citation credits him for “exceptional leadership and valor in the face of the enemy.”

The Weight of Honors and the Voice of Comrades

Two Medals of Honor—only a handful in Marine Corps history have earned that distinction. But Daly never flaunted his accolades. Veterans who served with him recall a man fiercely loyal yet deeply humble. Marine Corps legend General Smedley Butler said about Daly:

“Daly was the kind of man every Marine wanted by his side, the kind of man who made you proud to wear the uniform.”

The medals were tokens, but the respect came from knowing Daly would move through hell for his fellow Marines. His battlefield voice was more than commands—it was a lifeline when all else threatened collapse.

Legacy Forged in Blood and Brotherhood

Daly’s story rings out long after the guns fall silent. It’s one of sacrifice under fire, built on faith and an unbreakable bond with brothers in arms. He died in 1937, worn by years but unbowed in spirit. His name lives as a symbol of Marine Corps honor and sacrifice.

In a world quick to forget the cost of battle, Daniel Daly reminds us that courage is not the absence of fear—it’s the decision that something else matters more.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) Yet sometimes, peace is carved from the ashes of valor and sacrifice.