Isadore Nordstrom

Entered a burning gun turret to carry injured sailors clear.

Isadore Nordstrom was born at Gothenburg, Sweden, on 24 May 1876. After emigrating to the United States, he enlisted in the Navy at New York in August 1897. He served in the armoured cruiser New York during the Spanish-American War, including the naval campaign culminating at Santiago de Cuba.

By April 1906 he had become a chief boatswain's mate in the battleship Kearsarge. During target practice on 13 April, powder charges accidentally ignited inside the forward turret. The resulting fire killed and injured members of the gun crew and created an immediate danger to anyone attempting to enter.

Nordstrom was among the first men to go into the turret and help remove the casualties. His conduct in exposing himself to the fire while bringing out injured sailors eventually brought the Medal of Honor. The award was made in December 1924, more than eighteen years after the accident.

His naval career continued throughout the intervening period. Appointed boatswain in 1908, he later served in North Dakota and became chief boatswain in 1914. He was assigned to the Naval Torpedo Station at Newport in 1916. During the First World War he received a temporary commission and served in the transport Leviathan before taking charge of submarine chasers being fitted out at New London.

Promoted temporary lieutenant in July 1918, he went to Europe with the submarine-chaser force, serving at Plymouth and Corfu. He later worked with the commander of the 1st Submarine Chaser Squadron. After the war he reverted to his permanent warrant rank and continued naval service. Nordstrom died on active duty on 6 March 1930, aged fifty-three, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. His career had extended from the Spanish-American War through the changing naval technology of the interwar years.

Official Medal of Honor citation:

For gallant conduct upon the occasion of the disastrous fire of accidentally ignited powder charges, which occurred in the forward turret of the U.S.S. Kearsarge during target practice on 13 April 1906. Chief Boatswain Nordstrom, then chief boatswain's mate, was among the first to enter the turret in order to assist in bringing out the injured.