NEW YORK-Coast Guard Seaman 2nd Class Seymour Wittek, a World War II veteran, smiles for a portrait before he is awarded the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, at the Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum Nov. 11, 2008. Wittek and fellow Coast Guardsmen volunteered to board the S.S. El Estero in New York Harbor while it was ablaze April 24, 1943. The Elstero 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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