Seymour Wittek
| Seymour Wittek | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | 1921 |
| Died | 2010-01-03 Ossining, New York |
| Occupation | sailor, furrier |
| Known for | heroically fought a fire, on a ship loaded with explosives, in NYC, during World War II |
Seymour Wittek was a Coast Guard sailor who heroically fought a fire on the El Estero, a freighter laden with explosives, on April 24, 1943.[1]
At the time the enlisted sailors who fought the fire received no recognition, other than a parade, organized by the City of Bayonne.[1] Wittek lobbied for recognition for himself and his peers, for decades. Finally, on memorial day, 2008, the Commandant of the Coast Guard awarded him a medal. Wittek died just over a year later, on January 3, 2010.
Not only was the El Estero carrying explosives, but so were the ships moored nearby.[2] Railcars loaded with explosives were parked nearby.[3][4] According to The New York Times there were 5,000 tons of explosives on the burning ship, or stored nearby, which would have all exploded if the ship had exploded.
Oil that had leaked into the El Estero's bilge ignited.[2] Wittek said that when officers asked for volunteers to fight the fire every single man in his unit stepped forward, without hesitation. Wittek and his fellow volunteers stayed aboard the burning ship, to fight the fire, for hours. Fireboats succeeded in towing it away from the wharf. Finally, after four hours, enough water was sprayed on board that the burning vessel sank.
After the war Wittek spent five decades working in the fur industry. He was also a volunteer with the National Maritime Historical Society.[5] Through the NMHS Wittek gave talks, to the public, about the historic fire.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Richard Goldstein. Seymour Wittek Dies at 88; World War II Hero at Home, The New York Times, 2010-01-03, p. B7. Retrieved on 2022-03-21.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Clyde Haberman. Time Ebbs for the Heroes Who Saved the Harbor, The New York Times, 2008-05-27. Retrieved on 2022-03-21. “He was Seaman Second Class Wittek back then, all of 22 and barely into his three-year enlistment in the Coast Guard. 'That,' he said on this holiday weekend dedicated to remembering military sacrifice, 'was the day that tested who I was.'”
- ↑ Coast Guard hero Seymour Wittek dies at 88, Coast Guard News, 2009-12-30. Retrieved on 2022-03-21. “The damage that could have taken place would have been nothing short of catastrophic. The explosion of the Mont Blanc, a French munitions ship, in Halifax Harbor in 1917, which was laden with an almost equal amount of explosives, killed nearly 2,000 people and injured 9,000. Apart from the shock waves created, it also caused tidal waves. Given the size of the bombs aboard the El Estero, and the fact that nearby train cars also carried an estimated 5,000 tons of explosives and ships that were moored nearby were also loaded with munitions, the effects could have devastated Lower Manhattan, Governors Island, parts of Brooklyn, Staten Island and New Jersey.”
- ↑ Coast Guard hero Seymour Wittek buried in Queens, Coast Guard News, 2009-12-31. Retrieved on 2022-03-21. “Wittek was awarded the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, Nov. 11, 2008, by Coast Guard Vice Admiral Robert Papp, at the U.S.S. Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, for his bravery and selfless dedication to save civilians, property, sailors and supplies that directly impacted U.S. forces’ progress in the European Theater, and for epitomizing what many would consider the ethics of a hero and a Coast Guardsman.”
- ↑ Award receipients: Seymour Wittek, National Maritime Historical Society. Retrieved on 2022-03-21. “Seymour Wittek was a long-time volunteer at NMHS who came to work at headquarters on a regular basis. His enthusiasm, willingness to tackle chores, and ability to reach out to other members made him an invaluable asset. He was a great storyteller.”