Comments on: Paths to Glory: Medal of Honor Ricipients Smedley Butler and Dan Daly

By: stephen scott

stephen scott — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 12:09:36 +0000

Hopefully to clear up any confusion on Daly’s medals, he was recommended for a medal of honor at belleau woods, but that was down graded to a navy cross, he was also awarded the dsc by the army, the equivilant, because they were under army command. This was not Daly’s third recommendation however, it was his fourth. He had been recommended for the MOH for his actions in Vera Cruz in 1914, but at the time the USMC was only awarding the MOH to officers, having reversed their earlier policy of only awarding enlisted. After Vera Cruz, the USMC came to a middle ground and Daly was again considered for the MOH for his actions in 1914.

By: G.A.MACKINLAY

G.A.MACKINLAY — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:30:30 +0000

Re comment No 4. The Medaille Militaire with the joint award of the Croix de Guerre with Gold Star (meaning Army level award) in the Great War and WWII equated to the VC or MoH, , for Adujutant de Chef, and subordinate ranks. To complicate it, officers of General of Brigade and above could also be awarded the same.
Officers, if awarded the Legion of Honour in the grades of Chevalier and above with the joint award of the Croix de Guerre with Gold Star, again equated to the VC or MoH.
The long defunct French Legion of Merit was purely a civil award.
In modern French awards the system is even more complex.
In regard to Daly receiving the Army’s DSC, that is correct, the Marine Brigade being under Army command in France. And when on display in the USMC Commandant’s office 30 odd years ago had it mounted in Daly’s medal group.

By: NOS

NOS — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:01:44 +0000

This is da shit that america needs people like this, im training to become a navy seal n i have great pride for my country… i did a report on dan daly in highschool n i still have my paper i got n F for the works cited but did good on reasearch

By: lirelou

lirelou — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 22:26:39 +0000

Interesting article. It is interesting to contrast Butler’s actions at Veracruz with MacArthur’s. MacArthur arrived after the official hostilities had ended, essentially as a War Department staff officer, and apparently wrote up his own recommendation for a Medal of Honor which GEN Funston passed around to the rest of the Army staff for review. I suppose we should also bear in mind that during the China, Mexico, and Haiti actions mentioned, the Medal of Honor was the ONLY U.S. award for heroism in combat, so it is unfair to assume that either man stood taller than their successors of WWI, WWII, Korea, and later conflicts who received Silver Stars or DSCs. One small correction: The Medaille Militaire is France’s highest decoration for valor for Enlisted Men. I’m unsure if that means “other ranks” only, but warrant and commissioned officers can be awarded the Legion of Merit for exceptional performance of duty in combat. In that regard, the French MM is similar to the British Distinguished Conduct Medal.

By: Dan Cole Younger

Dan Cole Younger — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:59:30 +0000

In an article about USMC heroes Dan Daly and Smedley Butler, the author states that Daly was nominated for a third Medal of Honor, which was downgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross. As a Marine, Daly woud not be eligible for the DSC, but the Navy/USMC equivalent, the Navy Cross.
D Younger
Medal of Honor Historical Society

By: Gunner

Gunner — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:00:52 +0000

This is what makes America great, the people who serve her in combat and peace. There is no difference between the two except war or aremed conflict happened on somebody’s watch and not on another’s,

By: Stanley Peek

Stanley Peek — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:02:03 +0000

True Heros. We still have men like this in the service, only they aren’t allowed to do their job.