Daniel Daly

Daniel Joseph Daly

Place of birth: Glen Cove, New York
Place of death: Glendale, Queens, New York
Resting place: Cypress Hills National Cemetery
Allegiance: United States of America
Service/branch: United States Marine Corps
Years of service: 1899-1929
Rank: Sergeant Major
Unit: 6th Marines
Battles/wars: Boxer Rebellion
Battle of Peking
Banana Wars
Battle of Veracruz
Battle of Fort Dipitie
World War I
Battle of Belleau Wood
Battle of Saint-Mihiel
Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge
Awards: Medal of Honor (2) Navy Cross
Distinguished Service Cross
Croix de guerre
Médaille militaire

Boxer Rebellion

Battle of Peking

Banana Wars

Battle of Veracruz
Battle of Fort Dipitie

World War I

Battle of Belleau Wood
Battle of Saint-Mihiel
Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge

Sergeant Major Daniel Joseph "Dan" Daly (November 11, 1873 - April 27, 1937) was a United States Marine and one of only nineteen men (including seven Marines) to have received the Medal of Honor twice. Of the Marines who are double recipients, only Daly and Major General Smedley Butler received their Medals of Honor for two, separate actions.

Daly is commonly attributed as having yelled, "Come on, you sons of bitches! Do you want to live forever?" to the men in his company prior to charging the Germans during the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I, although Daly claimed himself to have said, "For Christ's sake men-come on! Do you want to live forever?"

Daly was described by his fellow Medal of Honor double award recipient, Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler as,"The fightin'est Marine I ever knew!" Daly reportedly was offered an officer's commission twice to which he responded that he would rather be, "...an outstanding sergeant than just another officer."

Biography

Daly was born on November 11, 1873, in Glen Cove, New York. By size he was a small man (5'6" in height, 132 lbs), but had established himself as an amateur boxer.

Picture - Daly being awarded the Médaille militaire.

Marine Corps service

Hoping to participate in the Spanish-American War, he enlisted in the Marine Corps on January 10, 1899, and received his initial training at the Brooklyn Navy Yard; however, the war ended before he finished training.

In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, he received his first Medal of Honor for single-handedly defending his position against repeated attacks and inflicted casualties of around 200 on the attacking Boxers.

His second Medal of Honor came fifteen years later. On the night of October 24, 1915, he was part of a group of 35 Marines who were ambushed by a force of approximately 400 Cacos (Haitian insurgents). He led one of the three groups of men during the fight to reach a nearby fort, and was awarded the medal for his conspicuous actions.

He was awarded the Navy Cross for "repeated deeds of heroism and great service" during the Battle of Belleau Wood in World War I.

Daly retired from the Marine Corps on February 6, 1929.

Death and burial

Picture - Daly is buried at Cypress Hills National Cemetery in New York City.

Daly died on April 27, 1937. He is buried at Cypress Hills National Cemetery, Section 5, Grave No. 70.

"Do you want to live forever?" quote

Daly is popularly attributed in Marine Corps lore as yelling, "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" during the Battle of Belleau Wood, although no one has been found as having heard him say it. Daly later told a Marine Corps historian that he actually yelled, "For Christ's sake men-come on! Do you want to live forever?" Chicago Tribune correspondent Floyd Gibbons, who was at Belleau Wood, reported that he heard the famous cry in his 1918 memoir And They Thought We Wouldn't Fight, attributing it to an unnamed gunnery sergeant (Daly was a first sergeant at the time). Gibbons was attached to elements of Major Benjamin S. Berry's battalion (3rd Battalion 5th Marines) during the battle, but Daly was the first sergeant of the 73rd Machine Gun Company, a part of 3rd Battalion 6th Marines under the command of Major Berton W. Sibley. Sibley's battalion attacked south of Berry's and were on the outskirts of Lucy-le-Bocage when Daly made the cry. Additionally, 6th Marines commander Colonel Albertus W. Catlin implied in his memoir that the yell came from an unnamed sergeant in Berry's battalion.

Decorations and honors

Medals

A complete list of Sergeant Major Daly's decorations and medals includes two Medal of Honor (The Medals of Honor are on display at the National Marine Corps Museum in Triangle, Virginia); the Navy Cross; Distinguished Service Cross; three Letters of Commendation; Good Conduct Medal with two bronze stars; China Relief Expedition Medal; Philippine Campaign Medal; Expeditionary Medal with one bronze star; Mexican Service Medal; Haitian Campaign Medal; World War I Victory Medal with Aisne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne and Defensive-Sector clasps; Médaille militaire; Croix de guerre with Palm; and the Fourragx¨re (the last three awards are from the French government; only the Croix de guerre is authorized for wear by US personnel. A special exception is made for the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments, however. Those units ARE permitted to wear the Fourragere with their dress uniforms).

Honors

The destroyer USS Daly (DD-519) was named for him.

On November 10, 2005, the United States Postal Service issued its Distinguished Marines stamps in which Daly was honored, along with three other Marine Corps heroes. Besides Daly, these stamps honored John Basilone, John A. Lejeune, and Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller.

Medal of Honor citations

First award - 1901

DALY, DANIEL JOSEPH

Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: November 11, 1873, Glen Cove, Long Island, N.Y. Accredited to. New York. G.O. No.: 55, July 19, 1901. Other Navy Awards: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross.

Citation:

In the presence of the enemy during the battle of Peking, China, August 14, 1900, Daly distinguished himself by meritorious conduct.

In the presence of the enemy during the battle of Peking, China, August 14, 1900, Daly distinguished himself by meritorious conduct.

Second award - 1915

DALY, DANIEL JOSEPH

Rank and organization: Gunnery Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: Glen Cove, Long Island, N.Y., November 11, 1873. Accredited to: New York. Other Navy awards: Second Medal of Honor, Navy Cross.

Citation:

Serving with the 15th Company of Marines on October 22, 1915, GySgt. Daly was one of the company to leave Fort Liberte, Haiti, for a 6-day reconnaissance. After dark on the evening of October 24, while crossing the river in a deep ravine, the detachment was suddenly fired upon from 3 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 3 squads, advanced in 3 different directions, surprising and scattering the Cacos in all directions. GySgt. Daly fought with exceptional gallantry against heavy odds throughout this action.

Serving with the 15th Company of Marines on October 22, 1915, GySgt. Daly was one of the company to leave Fort Liberte, Haiti, for a 6-day reconnaissance. After dark on the evening of October 24, while crossing the river in a deep ravine, the detachment was suddenly fired upon from 3 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 3 squads, advanced in 3 different directions, surprising and scattering the Cacos in all directions. GySgt. Daly fought with exceptional gallantry against heavy odds throughout this action.

Navy Cross

Citation:

The Navy Cross is presented to Daniel Joseph Daly, First Sergeant, U.S. 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 June 10, 1918 in the attack on Bouresches, France. On June 5, at the risk of his life, First Sergeant Daly extinguished a fire in an ammunition dump at Lucy-le-Bocage. On June 7, 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 June 10, 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.

The Navy Cross is presented to Daniel Joseph Daly, First Sergeant, U.S. 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 June 10, 1918 in the attack on Bouresches, France. On June 5, at the risk of his life, First Sergeant Daly extinguished a fire in an ammunition dump at Lucy-le-Bocage. On June 7, 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 June 10, 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.

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 and 7 June 1918 at Lucy-le-Bocage, and on 10 June 1918 in the attack on Bouresches, France. On June 5, 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.

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 and 7 June 1918 at Lucy-le-Bocage, and on 10 June 1918 in the attack on Bouresches, France. On June 5, 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.

In popular culture

In Starship Troopers, a 1959 science fiction novel of social commentary written by Robert A. Heinlein in support of civic duty and martial service, the first chapter includes the paraphrase, "Come on you apes! You wanna live forever?"

A similar line turns up in the Gaunt's Ghosts series of novels: "Men of Tanith! Do you want to live forever?"

He is quoted in The Long Walk by Richard Bachman as "Come on you assholes, you want to live forever?". Bachman is a pseudonym for Stephen King, who attributes the quote to "An unknown top sergeant."

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

"Sergeant Major Daniel "Dan" Joseph Daly, USMC, Who's Who in Marine Corps History, History Division, United States Marine Corps". http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Daly_DJ.htm. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
"Daniel Daly". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7706. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
Martin, Iain C. (2007). The Greatest U.S. Marine Corps Stories Ever Told: Unforgettable Stories of Courage, Honor, and Sacrifice. The Lyons Press. ISBN 978-1-59921-017-9.
Scott, Stephen W. (2009). Sergeant Major Dan Daly: The Most Outstanding Marine of All Time. PublishAmerica. ISBN 1-60836-465-8.

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Source: WikiPedia