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Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

First Sergeant · U.S. Army

Wendelin Kreher

First Sergeant Wendelin Kreher, Army, received the Medal of Honor posthumously for actions on October 21, 1876 at Cedar Creek, etc., Montana during the Indian Campaigns.

Indian Campaigns October 21, 1876PosthumousBorn in Poland

First Sergeant Wendelin Kreher, a soldier in the U.S. Army, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for gallantry on October 21, 1876 at Cedar Creek, etc., Montana during the Indian Campaigns. At the time he was serving with Company C, 5th U.S. Infantry. Kreher was about 30 years old.

29 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 27, 1877.

Kreher was born in 1846 in Stetten, Poland (Prussia) — one of 6 recipients born in Poland. His Medal of Honor is credited to Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. Kreher died on March 17, 1877 in Tongue River, Montana, at the age of about 31. He is buried at Custer Battlefield National Monument in Crow Agency, Montana.

Kreher is one of 426 Medal of Honor recipients from the Indian Campaigns and one of 380 credited to Pennsylvania.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Gallantry in action.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Timeline

  1. 1846
    Born in Stetten, Poland (Prussia)
  2. October 21, 1876
    Act of valor — Cedar Creek, etc., Montana
    Age about 30. Company C, 5th U.S. Infantry
  3. March 17, 1877
    Died in Tongue River, Montana
    Age about 31.
  4. April 27, 1877
    Medal of Honor presented posthumously
  5. Resting place
    Custer Battlefield National Monument
    Crow Agency, Montana

Also honored for actions on October 21, 1876

JB John Baker Musician · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 RB Richard Burke Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 DB Denis Byrne Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 JC Joseph A. Cable Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 JC James Spencer Calvert Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 AC Aquilla Coonrod Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 JD John S. Donelly Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 CF Christopher Freemeyer Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 JH John Haddoo Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 HH Henry Hogan Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 DH David Holland Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 EJ Edward Johnston Corporal · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876

See all 30 recipients for October 21, 1876 →

More Indian Campaigns recipients from Pennsylvania

ZW Zachariah Woodall Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1874 WC Wilfred Clark Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877 MH Michael Himmelsback Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1870 CC Charles Crandall Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1868 PT Peter Thompson Private · Army Indian Campaigns · 1876 PR Patrick Rogan Sergeant · Army Indian Campaigns · 1877
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.