George Cregan

Commander, U.S. Navy

Medal of Honor Recipient

Occupation of Veracruz

Commander George Cregan (11 December 1885 - 30 June 1969) was a U.S. Navy officer who, as a Coxswain, received the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during the Occupation of Veracruz.

George Cregan served in the U.S. Navy for 40 years, serving on board over 30 different vessels, and was awarded the Navy Cross for his participation in the 1929 salvage operation of the submarine USS S-4. He attained the rank of Commander before leaving the Navy.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Coxswain, U.S. Navy

Place and date: Veracruz, Mexico, 21 April 1914

Citation: On board the U.S.S. Florida, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession during the seizure of Vera Cruz, Mexico, 21 April 1914. Cregan was ashore when he volunteered for an assault detail under Ens. George Maus Lowry on the Vera Cruz Customhouse under enemy fire both in the alley between the customhouse and warehouse and the assault over objective's walls. During the move up the alley, he tended a wounded comrade, J. F. Schumaker, holding a compress with one hand and firing with the other.

Medals and Awards

Medal of Honor
Navy Cross

Death and Burial

Commander George Cregan died 30 June 1969. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, in Section 46, Lot 1066.