He was a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award for valor, for his role in the United States occupation of Veracruz when he was a coxswain assigned to the battleship USS Florida.

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.Rank and organization: Chief Boatswain, U.S. Navy.

Citation: For distinguished service to the Government of the United States in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S.

SAGAMORE throughout the salvage operations of the Submarine S-4, sunk as a result of a collision off Provincetown, Massachusetts, on 17 December 1927. the skillful handling of the SAGAMORE together with the excellent judgment, zeal, efficiency and untiring devotion to duty of her Commanding Officer, was an important factor in the final success of the operations.

Chief Boatswain Cregan's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.