b. 16/10/1877 Hamburg, Germany. d. 01/02/1923 Salt Lake City, Utah.
DATE OF MOH ACTION: 11/05/1898 Cienfuegos, Cuba.
Kuchmeister was born on October 16, 1877, in Hamburg, Germany. He joined the Marine Corps from Brooklyn in August 1897. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the cable cutting operation off Cienfuegos, Cuba while assigned to the cruiser USS Marblehead during the Spanish–American War. He was honorably discharged in March 1900. He was a member of the Naval Order of the United States.
After being discharged from the Marine Corps, Kuchmeister worked as an assistant weigher for the U.S. Customs Service in Boston. On December 18, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt issued Executive Order no. 992 which allowed Kuchmeister to be promoted to day inspector without further examination.
Kuchmeister died on February 1, 1923, and was buried at Winthrop Cemetery in Winthrop, Massachusetts.
MOH CITATION:
On board the U.S.S. Marblehead during the operation of cutting the cable leading from Cienfuegos, Cuba, 11 May 1898. Facing the heavy fire of the enemy, Kuchneister displayed extraordinary bravery and coolness throughout this action.
BURIAL LOCATION: WINTHROP CEMETERY, WINTHROP, MASSACHUSETTS.
OLD SECTION, PILGRIM PATH, LOT 578, GRAVE 2.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.