PARK RIDGE (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Yesterday, 74 years to the day after a Chicago area man helped save the lives of his fellow crewmen near Okinawa, an admiral pinned a medal on his chest for heroism.
The medal came in the mail years ago but the family of 94-year-old Nick Korompilas of Park Ridge wanted to see him formally honored. And yesterday, the commander of the Naval Station Great Lakes did just that.
"When he pinned it on me, I kind of broke down a little bit," Korompilas said.
Korompilas talked about the day kamikaze pilots brought down the USS Mannert L. Abele. His story begins with the chief commissary steward.
"He was stirring a big pot of soup," he said. "And then when the Baka — piloted bomb — hit us amidship right near the galley, the soup came out and spilled all over him, scalding him and dazing him.
"The verbiology is easier but the feeling isn't," he said. "I still get a little pain."
