Squirrel Hill man receives Purple Heart at last
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Aaron Narvol
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Aaron Narvol was barely above the legal drinking age when he found himself on the front lines in Okinawa, Japan, during World War II, surrounded by enemy gunfire, trying to save a friend and fellow Army sergeant.
His friend was shot first. Mr. Narvol called for a medic, but no one came. Mr. Narvol wrapped a rope around his friend and was shot in the back of the thigh as he was pulling him to safety.
His comrade died that day in April 1942, but Mr. Narvol was honorably discharged from the Army and told he would receive the Purple Heart. After recuperating in Honolulu and at Fort Meade, Md., Mr. Narvol returned to his native Squirrel Hill, where he worked as the head counterman at Weinstein's Restaurant on Murray Avenue.
"I made party trays, aggravated all of the customers," he said, smiling. After that, he worked at the Murray Avenue Kosher deli, earning the nickname "Jumbo." He tried throughout his life to gather the appropriate paperwork to receive the medal, but each attempt failed.
The suspected reason for the delay in presenting Mr. Narvol with the medal is that he changed his last name in 1966 from Narvolansky to Narvol -- he says his children thought the original last name was too long.
But nearly 70 years after the battle in Japan, he finally received the Purple Heart.
Mr. Narvol told a rabbi with Forbes Hospice that he regretted never receiving the medal. Keri Harmicar, a community relations manager there, contacted Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, hoping his staff could help her get the medal for Mr. Narvol.
She submitted paperwork to Mr. Casey's office, and eight weeks later Mr. Narvol had his medal.
"I was thrilled," he said, sitting in his Squirrel Hill apartment, proudly wearing an Army hat and the medal on his shirt pocket. He was awarded the medal on Jan. 24, his 93rd birthday.
"I'm happy it got straightened out," he said. "I didn't think it would happen."
Brig. Gen. Bud R. Jameson Jr. came to Mr. Narvol's apartment to present him with the Purple Heart.
"I offered him a drink, but he said he was on duty," Mr. Narvol said with a laugh, noting that he still had a drink to celebrate.
"I haven't taken this hat off since they gave it to me," he said.
Asked if he was awarded medals other than the Purple Heart, Mr. Narvol quipped, "Good humor.
"It's better to laugh than to cry."
First Published February 9, 2012 12:00 am
