Daniel Daly 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 said to have 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 , imitating the words of the Prussian King Frederick the Great at the Battle of Kolin . Major General Butler described Daly 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 . " The Medals of Honor are on display at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle , Virginia . 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 established himself as an amateur boxer . 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 . But , the war ended before he finished training . In 1900 , during the Boxer Rebellion in China , 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 , when he was fighting with US forces supporting the government in Haiti against rebels . 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 ( Haiti an 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 on February 6 , 1929 . Death and burial . 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 . Daly later told a Marine Corps historian that his words were " For Christ ' s sake men — " come on " ! Do you want to live forever ? " The " Chicago Tribune " correspondent Floyd Gibbons , who was at Belleau Wood , reported hearing the words in his 1918 memoir " And They Thought We Wouldn ' t Fight " , which he attributed 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 . An earlier use of a similar phrase is attributed to Frederick the Great : " Lads , do you want to live forever ? " ( ) , addressing retreating Prussian troops at the 1757 Battle of Kolín Decorations and honors . Honors . A " Fletcher " - class destroyer was named in honor of Daly and was commissioned on 10 March 1943 . 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 Chesty Puller . Medals . Daly ' s decorations and medals includes two Medals of Honor ; 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 and Citation Star ; Médaille militaire ; Croix de Guerre with Palm ; and the Fourragère ( 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 ) . Medal of Honor . First award — 1901 . " Awarded for actions during the China Relief " General Orders : War Department , General Orders No . 55 ( July 19 , 1901 ) Action Date : 14 - Aug - 00 Service : Marine Corps Rank : Private Battalion : Captain Newt Hall ' s Marine Detachment Regiment : 1st Regiment ( Marines ) 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 . Second award — 1915 . " Awarded for actions during the U . S . Invasion and Occupation of Haiti " Action Date : 24 - Oct - 15 Service : Marine Corps Rank : Gunnery Sergeant Company : 15th Company ( Mounted ) Regiment : 2d Marines 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 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 . Distinguished Service Cross . " Awarded for actions during the World War I " General Orders : War Department , General Orders No . 101 ( 1918 ) Action Date : June 5 , 7 , & 10 , 1918 Service : Marine Corps Rank : First Sergeant Company : 73d Company Regiment : 6th Regiment ( Marines ) Division : 2d Division , American Expeditionary Forces 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 . Navy Cross . " Awarded for actions during the World War I " Action Date : June 5 , 7 , & 10 , 1918 Service : Marine Corps Rank : First Sergeant Company : 73d Company Regiment : 6th Regiment ( Marines ) Division : 2d Division , American Expeditionary Forces 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 . Silver Star citation . " Awarded for actions during the World War I " General Orders : Citation Orders , 2d Division , American Expeditionary Forces Action Date : June 6 - July 10 , 1918 Service : Marine Corps Rank : First Sergeant Company : Machine Gun Company Regiment : 6th Regiment ( Marines ) Division : 2d Division , American Expeditionary Forces 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 .