General John J. Pershing was the commander of American Forces in France during World War I and as such was required to make recommendations for Medal of Honor awards. Pershing was handed the record of Daniel Joseph Daly. Among other actions the citation for the Medal of Honor stated that “. . . he attacked an enemy machine-gun emplacement unassisted and captured it by use of hand grenades and he brought in wounded under fire.” Other conspicuous acts of valor were noted in the citation.
Pershing reviewed Daly’s record. Daly was born in Glen Cove, New York on 11 November 1873. He joined the US Marine Corps in 1899 and a year later Daly fought in the Boxer Rebellion in China where he was awarded the Medal of Honor for single-handedly defending his position against repeated attacks. He inflicted approximately 200 casualties on the attacking Boxers.
Pershing read on. The US Marines were sent to Haiti to support the government against rebels. On the night of October 24, 1915, in the Battle of Fort Dipitie, Daly was part of a group of 35–41 Marines who were ambushed by a force of approximately 400 Cacos (Haitian insurgents). He led one of three groups of men during the fight to reach a nearby fort and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his conspicuous actions.
Finally, Pershing read the citation for Daly’s actions in France when he was a 1st Sergeant in the 73rd Machine Gun Regiment at the Battle of Belleau Wood on 6 June 1918. Daly’s shout was a rallying cry for the Marines: “Come on You Sons of Bitches! Do You Want to Live Forever?” Pershing set Daly’s record aside and said “No man should receive three Medals of Honor.” The award was down-graded to the Navy Cross and the Army later added the award of the Distinguished Service Cross for the same action. Daly’s many awards for valor may make him the most decorated serviceman in US history.
Daly survived World War I that ended on his birthday in 1918. He remained in the Corps until he achieved thirty years of service in1929. Daly returned home to New York. He died on 27 April 1937 in Glendale, Queens, New York at age 63.
Marine General Smedley Butler himself a recipient of two Medals of Honor described Daly as “The fightin’est Marine I ever knew!” Daly was reportedly offered an officer’s commission twice to which he responded that he would rather be “an outstanding sergeant than just another officer.”
