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★Victoria Cross

A comprehensive archive of decorated U.S. military heroes, objectively ranked by the Unified Scoring Matrix (USM-25). Honoring valor through history.

USM-25.2Scoring Standard

Scored under the Unified Scoring Matrix (USM-25)

John Nihill — Victoria Cross

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Heroic Score1001057th out of 4480

Number of Medals1

Total Heroic & Non-Heroic Score1003310 of 4480

U.S. Army#443of 2016

Sniper#3of 7

American Civil War#10of 1091

Indian Wars#11of 166

Apache Wars#2of 40

Great Sioux War of 1876–77#1of 3

John Nihill

Sergeant, U.S. Army

American Civil WarIndian WarsApache WarsGreat Sioux War of 1876–77

Awards & Decorations

Medal of Honor

Ribbon Rack

Biography

John Nihill was an Irish-born soldier in the U.S. Army who served with the 5th U.S. Cavalry during the Indian Wars. A participant in the Apache Wars, he received the Medal of Honor for bravery when he single-handedly fought off four Apache warriors in the Whetstone Mountains of Arizona on July 13, 1872. At the time of his death, he was the only enlisted man to be admitted as a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

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Score Breakdown

Medal of Honor(base 100)

+100

Heroic Score100 pts