Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient Daniel J. Daly, Belleau Wood Hero

Dec 11 , 2025

Two-Time Medal of Honor Recipient Daniel J. Daly, Belleau Wood Hero

Mud, smoke, and the stench of death. Sgt. Major Daniel J. Daly didn’t flinch. Grenades fell like rain around him in the streets of Peking. His men wavered. The enemy pressed harder. But Daly—gritty, fearless—stood firm, his rifle crackling defiance into chaos. Two Marine Corps Medals of Honor wouldn’t come from luck or luck alone. They came from fire-forged steel will.

From the Streets of Glen Cove to the Crucible of War

Born in Glen Cove, New York, in 1873, Daniel Joseph Daly was no stranger to hard times. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps before his eighteenth birthday, drawn not by glory but by a code—a warrior’s promise hammered deep with loyalty, honor, and faith. He carried the weight of scripture quietly, a shield far stronger than armor:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” — Joshua 1:9

His faith wasn’t some banner waved in victory but a steady hand through the darkest hells. Daly believed in fighting the good fight—not for self, but for brothers beside him and the ideals etched into the Marine Corps motto: Semper Fidelis.

The Boxer Rebellion: The First Medal of Honor

The year 1900 saw Daly in China, entrenched in the bitter siege of Peking during the Boxer Rebellion. The Marines were outnumbered, surrounded by enemy militia. On June 20, men’s nerves frayed like old rope. Daly, then Gunnery Sergeant, didn’t wait for orders.

With bullets humming past, Daly led a charge against fortified enemy positions. He snatched a Chinese flag from the enemy’s grasp—an act both symbolic and tactical—riveting morale. His bold aggression turned the tide momentarily, buying time and saving lives.

For that fierce courage, he earned his first Medal of Honor:

“For extraordinary heroism in battle near Tientsin, China... advanced alone under heavy fire and captured a Chinese flag.” — Medal of Honor Citation[1]

This wasn’t showboating. It was a raw, desperate act of valor. His men survived because Daly refused to break.

The Great War: Legend at Belleau Wood

World War I brought the Marine Corps to the mud and slaughter of Europe. By 1918, Daly was a veteran sergeant major attached to the 4th Marine Regiment. In the crucible of Belleau Wood, where the line between life and death blurred in choking mist and machine-gun fire, Daly’s valor burned brighter.

The story that echoes in Marine Corps lore says he shouted to his panic-stricken troops amidst the hellscape:

“Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?”

Against brutally entrenched German forces, Daly led men through barbed wire and shell holes, relentless and unbreakable. His voice and example rallied Marines who thought all hope was lost, pushing them to reclaim the wood.

His Medal of Honor citation for Belleau Wood reads:

“For distinguished gallantry and intrepidity... single-handedly attacked enemy machine gun nest, killing or dispersing the crew.”[2]

He didn’t fight for medals. He fought because lives depended on it. Because Marines follow their Sergeant Major’s lead when hell is all around.

Honors Etched in Blood and Respect

Only nineteen men have earned the Medal of Honor twice. Sgt. Major Daniel J. Daly stands among them—a testament not just to courage but to enduring leadership. The Navy and Marine Corps Medal, Silver Star, and countless others trace the path of a man who wore his scars like badges of survival and sacrifice.

His contemporaries called him “the toughest Marine who ever lived.” A contemporary wrote:

“Daly was the embodiment of Marine grit. He didn’t order men forward—he went forward with them.”[3]

Legacy Carved in Sacrifice

Daly’s story is raw truth: valor isn’t a moment. It’s a lifetime. It’s the summoning of grit when fear claws at your throat, the refusal to quit when all the odds scream defeat.

He didn’t just fight enemies. He battled doubt, exhaustion, and the heavy weight of command. His courage teaches that true heroism lives in the moments you stand up for others—not just yourself.

His legacy pulses through every Marine who hears that rally cry, through every veteran who bears scars visible and unseen.

In a world that often forgets the price of freedom, Sgt. Major Daniel J. Daly’s life is a reminder—“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

Valor like Daly’s burns eternal—not because it’s easy, but because it demands everything. It calls us all to remember: honor isn’t born in peace. It’s forged in blood, perseverance, and the unyielding will to carry your brothers home.

Sources

1. Naval History and Heritage Command, Medal of Honor Recipients: China Relief Expedition (Boxer Rebellion) 2. U.S. Marine Corps History Division, Medal of Honor Citation: Sgt. Major Daniel J. Daly, Belleau Wood, 1918 3. Charles A. Roman, The Marine Corps: A Crisis at Belleau Wood, Marine Corps Gazette, 1921