Isadore Nordstrom

Isadore A. Nordstrom (May 24, 1876 – March 6, 1930) was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Biography

Born in Gothenburg, Sweden, on May 24, 1876, Nordstrom immigrated to the United States and enlisted in the Navy from the state of New York. By April 13, 1906, he was serving as a chief boatswain's mate on the USS Kearsarge (BB-5). On that day, while the Kearsarge was conducting target practice, powder charges were accidentally ignited in the ship's forward turret, and Nordstrom helped carry out wounded sailors. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor eighteen years later, on December 4, 1924. His first name was spelled "Isidor" on the citation, this being the correct spelling in Swedish.

Nordstrom's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For gallant conduct upon the occasion of the disastrous fire of accidentally ignited powder charges, which occurred in the forward turret of USS 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.

On February 3, 1908, Nordstrom was appointed to the warrant officer rank of boatswain, after over ten years as an enlisted man. He transferred to USS North Dakota (BB-29) in late 1912 before being promoted to chief boatswain in early 1914.

Shortly after the United States' entry into World War I in 1917, he was given a temporary commission as an ensign. He received a promotion to lieutenant before reverting to his permanent rank of chief boatswain after the end of the war, on October 28, 1919. At about the same time, he was assigned to Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island.

Nordstrom died at age 53 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia. He is interred with his wife, Kathryn Veronica Nordstrom (1891–1961).