NEW YORK-Coast Guard Seaman 2nd Class Seymour Wittek, a World War II veteran, receives the Coast Guard Commendation Medal from Vice Admiral Robert Papp, Commander, Atlantic Area, at the Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum Nov. 11, 2008. Wittek and fellow Coastguardsmen volunteered to board the S.S. El Estero in New York Harbor while it was ablaze April 24, 1943. The El Estero was carrying 1,300 tons of explosives, as were surrounding naval vessels. The actions of Wittek and his brave crewmembers not only saved New York Harbor but also ensured needed munitions were delivered to the European Theater. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Seth Johnson.
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RIP Seaman 2nd Class Seymour Wittek
