Daniel Daly
Birth nameDaniel Joseph Daly
Born(1873-11-11)November 11, 1873
Glen Cove, New York, U.S.
DiedApril 27, 1937(1937-04-27) (aged 63)
New York City, U.S.
Buried
Cypress Hills National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Marine Corps
Years of service1899–1929
RankSergeant Major
Unit
Battles/wars
Awards

Daniel Joseph Daly (November 11, 1873 – April 27, 1937)[1][2] was a United States Marine and one of nineteen U.S. servicemen to have been awarded the Medal of Honor twice. Daly and Major General Smedley Butler are the only Marines who earned two Medals of Honor for two separate acts of valor.[3]

Daly is among the most decorated U.S. Marines in history, and over a thirty year career saw action in all the major Marine Corps campaigns from 1899 to the end of World War I. He earned his first Medal of Honor during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 and the second in Haiti in 1915. Butler described Daly as "the fightingest Marine I ever knew...It was an object lesson to have served with him."[4]

In World War I, Daly became further cemented into Marine Corps lore when he is said to have yelled, "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" to his company before charging the Germans at the Battle of Belleau Wood, though there is considerable evidence that the battle cry was the invention of an enthusiastic war correspondent. He was also awarded the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in France.

Daly's Medals of Honor are on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, which also features the "live forever" quote etched in the stone of the building's rotunda.[5][6]

Early life

Daniel Joseph Daly was born on November 11, 1873, in Glen Cove, New York, on Long Island.[2] He was of Irish descent.[7] He spent his youth in New York City, working as a newsboy among other jobs.[1] Despite his slight build—5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) tall and weighing 132 pounds (60 kg)—Daly occasionally fought as a semi-pro boxer.[2][8]

Military career

Early career

Daly enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on January 10, 1899, at the age of 25.[9][1][10] His first posting was with the Asiatic Fleet aboard the cruiser USS Newark. In 1900, the fleet arrived in China during the Boxer Rebellion.[8] On July 15, 1900, during the Battle of Peking, Private Daly and his commanding officer, Captain Newt H. Hall, set out to reconnoiter a position on the Tartar Wall while under siege by the Boxers.[11] A working party, scheduled to follow to construct defenses, never arrived. While Captain Hall returned for the working party, Daly single-handedly fought off a furious all-night Boxer attack on the position, an action which earned him his first Medal of Honor.[12][13]

In 1901, Daly had two run-ins with military discipline. He was court-martialed once for drunkenness on post and spent three weeks in the brig at the Boston Navy Yard, and again three weeks later for drunkenness and verbal abuse of the sergeant of the guard.[11]

After serving in China, Daly was assigned to various ships in the Pacific and Caribbean areas, and saw duty in the Philippines, Cuba, and Panama.[14] He also trained recruits and gained a reputation as an excellent boxer.[15] He was promoted to corporal in 1906 and sergeant in 1909.[16] On March 14, 1911, Daly was garrisoned at the United States Naval Station in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when he spotted a gasoline fire that was spreading from the forecastle of the merchant schooner Springfield. Daly, with a party of nine other Marines and sailors, successfully extinguished the fire,[17] though he spent several weeks hospitalized with severe burns. Daly received commendations from both the Secretary of the Navy and the Commandant of the Marine Corps for his actions.[15]

During the Battle of Veracruz on April 21, 1914, Sergeant Daly landed in Veracruz, Mexico, with a combined force of 1,200 U.S. Marines and sailors. The American objective was to seize the port and customs house to prevent a shipment of German weapons—200 machine guns and 15 million rounds of ammunition, potentially to be used against the United States—from reaching shore.[18] The ensuing battle saw intense street fighting, and the day after landing, Daly's platoon was pinned down in an arroyo, facing heavy sniper fire from a rooftop. Daly covertly crawled out of the ditch, entered the building from the rear and killed its seven man garrison, five by rifle fire and two by bayonet.[19] By the end of the day, the Americans had captured the city.[20]

Daly earned his second Medal of Honor in Haiti with the U.S. Marines supporting the Haitian government in a fight against Cacos insurgents. On the night of October 24, 1915, during the Battle of Fort Dipitie, Gunnery Sergeant Daly was on patrol with a detachment of three squads of the 15th Company, 2nd Marine Regiment, under the command of Major Smedley Butler.[21] The Marines were ambushed by a force of some 400 Cacos while crossing a river, and the horse carrying their machine gun was killed, its carcass sinking to the riverbed. With the battle raging throughout the night, Daly repeatedly dived to the bottom of the river in the darkness until he located the horse, freed the machine gun from its restraints, and carried the 200 pounds (91 kg) of weaponry a mile back to the Marines' position.[22] Later, rearmed and with Daly in command of one of the squads, the Marines regrouped and scattered the Cacos.[12]

World War I

Daly being awarded the Médaille militaire.

Daly's service in World War I began with his arrival in France on November 4, 1917, as first sergeant of 73rd Company, 6th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Brigade, attached to the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division. The division initially trained in the Toulon Sector, near Verdun (March–May 1918), and saw action at the Third Battle of the Aisne.[14] At the outbreak of the Battle of Belleau Wood on June 1, 1918, Daly's regiment was placed in a gap in the line left by the French 43rd Division, with the intent to stop the German advance toward Paris.[12] The Marines drove back an attack by the German 28th Division on June 2. On June 5, a German shell landed in an ammunition dump at Lucy-le-Bocage, starting a fire. Daly quickly led a party from his company into the flames to extinguish the blaze, preventing the arsenal from exploding.[23][12]

On June 6, the Marines went on the offensive. The Germans were entrenched in the woods, separated from the Marines by 400 yards (370 m) of open wheat field. Facing 1,200 Germans with 200 machine guns, the 73rd Company was pinned down by intense fire. As the Marines took cover at nightfall, Daly walked openly to each of his machine gun positions, rallying and coordinating his men. On June 10, a German machine gun unit advanced close to Daly's position. Daly immediately charged the weapon, destroying it with three grenades, shot the unit's commanding officer with his .45 caliber pistol, and took its remaining 14 soldiers prisoner. As the battle raged later in the day, Daly exposed himself to enemy fire while evacuating the wounded.[24] For his actions from June 5–10, Daly was awarded the Navy Cross, the Army's Distinguished Service Cross, and the French Médaille militaire.[25]

Daly later fought in the Battle of Saint-Mihiel and the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge.[14] His final campaign was the Meuse–Argonne offensive.[26] By the war's end, he had suffered a bullet wound in the shoulder and two shrapnel wounds in the leg.[25] After serving in the American occupation force in Germany,[27] Daly left active duty for the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1919,[28] and officially retired on February 6, 1929, at the rank of sergeant major.[29]

Legacy

An engraving at the National Museum of the Marine Corps displaying the quote commonly attributed to Daly: "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?"[30][31]

According to Marine Corps lore, Daly rallied his men at the Battle of Belleau Wood by yelling, "Come on, you sons-o'-bitches, do you want to live forever?"[24][4][32] This quote first appeared in And They Thought We Wouldn't Fight, a 1918 memoir by war correspondent Floyd Gibbons of The Chicago Tribune.[33] Gibbons, who was attached to Major Benjamin Berry's 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, attributed the line to an unnamed gunnery sergeant in that unit. Popular legend eventually credited Daly (already well known as a double Medal of Honor winner) with the rallying cry, despite discrepancies in the story—Daly was not a member of the 5th Marine Regiment but the 6th, which was positioned to the south of where Gibbons was reporting, and Daly was a first sergeant, not a gunnery sergeant. Historian Alan Axelrod wrote that "nobody has been found who actually heard [Daly] say it."[34] Regardless, in May 1919, less than a year after the battle, Daly's story at Belleau Wood—incorporating the quote—was featured in "The Wood of Fair Water," one of six short films in The Rothapfel Unit Program, a motion picture directed by Marine veteran Samuel L. Rothapfel.[35][36][37][38]

For his part, Daly told a Marine Corps historian that he yelled, "For Christ's sake, men—come on! Do you want to live forever?"[34] Axelrod noted that the details do not "diminish the reality the legend is based on" and that Gibbons utilized artistic license "to impose order on chaos, to make sense of it, to extract some greater meaning from it."[39] Irrespective of its origin, the quote has become deeply entrenched in Marine Corps lore, exemplified by the closing line of a 1954 eulogy of Daly in the Marine Corps Gazette: "But the Dan Daly of China, Haiti and France will remain part and parcel of our tradition as long as the Marine Corps contains any SOBs who want to live forever."[16]

Later life

Daly is buried at Cypress Hills National Cemetery.

After leaving the Marines, Daly lived a quiet life with his sister in New York, working as a bank guard on Wall Street and avoiding publicity.[27][28] He died of a heart attack in Glendale, Queens, New York, on April 27, 1937, aged 63. He is buried at Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.[4]

Decorations and honors

Honors

A Fletcher-class destroyer USS Daly (DD-519) was named in honor of Daly and was commissioned on March 10, 1943.[28]

On November 10, 2005, the United States Postal Service issued its "Distinguished Marines" stamps in which Daly was honored alongside John Basilone, John A. Lejeune, and Chesty Puller.[40]

Medals

Daly's decorations and medals includes two Medals of Honor; the Navy Cross; Distinguished Service Cross; two Purple Hearts; Good Conduct Medal with two bronze stars; the China Relief Expedition Medal; the Philippine Campaign Medal; the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal with one bronze star; the Mexican Service Medal; the Haitian Campaign Medal; the World War I Victory Medal with Aisne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, and Defensive-Sector clasps and Citation Star; three letters of commendation; the Médaille militaire; the Croix de Guerre with Palm; and the Fourragère.[41] The last three awards are from the French government. Only the Croix de Guerre is authorized for wear by U.S. personnel, though a special exception is made for Marines assigned to the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments, who are permitted to wear the Fourragère with their service and dress coats or jackets.[42]

2nd award always stands as separate ribbon
Gold star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Silver star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Bronze star
Medal of Honor (first award) Medal of Honor (second award)
Navy Cross Distinguished Service Cross Purple Heart
with 1 service star		 Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
with 2 service stars
China Relief Expedition Medal Philippine Campaign Medal Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
with 1 service star		 Mexican Service Medal
Haitian Campaign Medal World War I Victory Medal
with Aisne, St. Mihiel,
Meuse-Argonne, and
Defensive-Sector clasps,
and Citation Star		 Médaille militaire (France) Croix de Guerre
with bronze Palm (France)
Croix de Guerre Fourragère

Medal of Honor

First award: 1901

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor (First Award) to Private Daniel Joseph Daly (MCSN: 73086), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Captain Newt Hall's Marine Detachment, 1st Regiment (Marines), in action in the presence of the enemy during the battle of Peking, China, 14 August 1900, Daly distinguished himself by meritorious conduct.[43]

Second award: 1915

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor (Second Award) to Gunnery Sergeant Daniel Joseph Daly (MCSN: 73086), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with the 15th Company of Marines (Mounted), 2d Marine Regiment, on 22 October 1915. Gunnery Sergeant Daly was one of the company to leave Fort Liberte, Haiti, for a six-day reconnaissance. After dark on the evening of 24 October, while crossing the river in a deep ravine, the detachment was suddenly fired upon from three sides by about 400 Cacos concealed in bushes about 100 yards from the fort. The Marine detachment fought its way forward to a good position, which it maintained during the night, although subjected to a continuous fire from the Cacos. At daybreak the Marines, in three squads, advanced in three different directions, surprising and scattering the Cacos in all directions. Gunnery Sergeant Daly fought with exceptional gallantry against heavy odds throughout this action.[44]

Distinguished Service Cross

Citation:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to First Sergeant Daniel Joseph Daly (MCSN: 73086), United States Marine Corps, for repeated deeds of heroism and great service while serving with the Seventy-Third Company, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., on 5 June and 7, 1918 at Lucy-le-Bocage, and on 10 June 1918 in the attack on Bouresches, France. On June 5th, at the risk of his life, First Sergeant Daly extinguished a fire in an ammunition dump at Lucy-le-Bocage. On 7 June 1918, while his position was under violent bombardment, he visited all the gun crews of his company, then posted over a wide portion of the front, to cheer his men. On 10 June 1918, he attacked an enemy machine-gun emplacement unassisted and captured it by use of hand grenades and his automatic pistol. On the same day, during the German attack on Bouresches, he brought in wounded under fire.[45]

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First Sergeant Daniel Joseph Daly (MCSN: 73086), United States Marine Corps, for repeated deeds of heroism and great service while serving with the 73d Company, 6th Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., on June 5 and 7, 1918 at Lucy-le-Bocage, and on 10 June 1918 in the attack on Bouresches, France. On June 5th, at the risk of his life, First Sergeant Daly extinguished a fire in an ammunition dump at Lucy-le-Bocage. On 7 June 1918, while his position was under violent bombardment, he visited all the gun crews of his company, then posted over a wide portion of the front, to cheer his men. On 10 June 1918, he attacked an enemy machine-gun emplacement unassisted and captured it by use of hand grenades and his automatic pistol. On the same day, during the German attack on Bouresches, he brought in wounded under fire.[46]

Citation Star

In 1932 the Silver Citation Star became the Silver Star, a full sized decoration. All personnel awarded the Silver Citation Star were authorized to wear the Silver Star, the USA's third highest decoration for heroism in combat.

Citation:

By direction of the President, under the provisions of the act of Congress approved July 9, 1918 (Bul. No. 43, W.D., 1918), First Sergeant Daniel Joseph Daly (MCSN: 73086), United States Marine Corps, is cited by the Commanding General, SECOND Division, American Expeditionary Forces, for gallantry in action and a silver star may be placed upon the ribbon of the Victory Medals awarded him. First Sergeant Daly distinguished himself while serving with Machine Gun Company, Sixth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, American Expeditionary Forces at Chateau-Thierry, France, 6 June – 10 July 1918.[47]

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Cerasini 2002, p. 132
  2. 1 2 3 Wise Jr. & Baron 2007, p. 232
  3. ↑ Cerasini 2002, p. 97
  4. 1 2 3 Wise Jr. & Baron 2007, p. 235
  5. ↑ "Iconic Artifacts". National Museum of the Marine Corps. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  6. ↑ Warren, Paul (2016). Adventurer Floyd Gibbons: Eye Street's Eyewitness to History. Washington, D.C.: Warren Communications News. p. 99. ISBN 978-1535418188.
  7. ↑ Robison, Ken (2019). Montanans in the Great War: Open Warfare Over There. Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-4671-4099-7.
  8. 1 2 Tassin 1986, p. 127
  9. ↑ Wise Jr. & Baron 2007, p. 233
  10. ↑ Axelrod 2018, p. 14
  11. 1 2 Dye, Julia (2011). Backbone: History, Traditions, and Leadership Lessons of Marine Corps NCOs. Oxford, England: Osprey. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-84908-548-9.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Wise Jr. & Baron 2007, p. 234
  13. ↑ Tassin 1986, p. 143
  14. 1 2 3 "Sergeant Major Daniel "Dan" Joseph Daly". United States Marine Corps History Division. Archived from the original on September 22, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  15. 1 2 Tassin 1986, pp. 144–146
  16. 1 2 Hough, Frank O. (November 1954). "Dan Daly". Marine Corps Gazette. The Marine Corps Association. p. 51. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  17. ↑ U.S. National Archives, p. 52
  18. ↑ Sweetman, Jack (1968). The Landing at Veracruz: 1914. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. p. 44.
  19. ↑ Tassin 1986, pp. 145–148
  20. ↑ Quirk, Robert E. (1967). An Affair of Honor: Woodrow Wilson and the Occupation of Veracruz. New York: W. W. Norton. p. 102.
  21. ↑ Tassin 1986, p. 150
  22. ↑ Tassin 1986, p. 153
  23. ↑ Tassin 1986, p. 155
  24. 1 2 Tassin 1986, p. 156
  25. 1 2 Tassin 1986, pp. 156–157
  26. ↑ Beede, Benjamin R., ed. (1994). The War of 1898 and U.S. Interventions, 1898-1934: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland. p. 157. ISBN 0-8240-5624-8.
  27. 1 2 Schuon, Karl (1963). U.S. Marine Corps Biographical Dictionary. New York: Franklin Watts. p. 53.
  28. 1 2 3 Tassin 1986, p. 157
  29. ↑ "Paths to Glory: Medal of Honor Recipients Smedley Butler and Dan Daly". December 26, 2007.
  30. ↑ Roberts, Charley (March 2, 2022). ""Come on, You Sons of Bitches, Do You Want to Live Forever?"– A Hero Rises Among Heroes". The War Horse. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  31. ↑ "Iconic Artifacts". National Museum of the Marine Corps. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  32. ↑ Ermey, R. Lee (2013). Gunny's Rules: How to Get Squared Away Like a Marine. Washington, D.C.: Regnery. p. 132. ISBN 978-1-62157-159-9.
  33. ↑ Axelrod 2018, p. 144
  34. 1 2 Axelrod 2018, p. 145
  35. ↑ "Rothapfel Gives Details of First Unit Program Bill; Central Effect Its Key". Exhibitor's Trade Review. Vol. 5, no. 22. May 3, 1919. p. 4. Retrieved December 20, 2022. Sergt. Dan Daly is shown issuing his famous challenge, "Come on you ——, do you want to live forever?"
  36. ↑ "Recruiters, Watch for This Movie!". The Recruiters' Bulletin. May 1919. p. 22. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  37. ↑ "In the News Net". The New York Times. April 6, 1919. p. 52. The photodramatic feature...contains scenes made by Sergeant Owens of the Marine Corps, one of which shows Sergeant Dan Daly in the trenches issuing his taunt to the Germans, "Come on, you ——, do you want to live forever?"
  38. ↑ "Theatrical Notes". J. The Jewish News of Northern California. September 26, 1919. p. 12. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  39. ↑ Axelrod 2018, p. 146
  40. ↑ "Distinguisted Marines". United States Postal Service. Archived from the original on December 20, 2005. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
  41. ↑ U.S. National Archives, pp. 313–317
  42. ↑ "Marine Corps Uniform Regulations" (PDF). United States Marine Corps. May 1, 2018. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  43. ↑ "Daniel J. Daly MOH (First Award)". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  44. ↑ "Daniel J. Daly MOH (Second Award)". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  45. ↑ "Daniel J. Daly DSC". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  46. ↑ "Daniel J. Daly Navy Cross". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  47. ↑ "Daniel J. Daly Silver Star". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2011.

Bibliography

  • Axelrod, Alan (2018). Miracle at Belleau Wood: The Birth of the Modern U.S. Marine Corps. Guilford, Connecticut: Lyons Press. ISBN 978-1-4930-3289-1.
  • Cerasini, Marc (2002). Heroes: U.S. Marine Corps Medal of Honor Winners. New York: Berkley. ISBN 0-425-18159-6.
  • Tassin, Raymond (1986). Double Winners of the Medal of Honor. Canton, Ohio: Daring Books. ISBN 0-938936-42-5.
  • Wise Jr., James E.; Baron, Scott (2007). The Navy Cross: Extraordinary Heroism in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Conflicts. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-945-3.
  • U.S. National Archives. "Official Military Personnel File for Daniel Daly". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
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