SEYMOUR WITTEK, 83 died Dec. 30, 2009. As a member of the Coat Guard, he helped battle the flames from a fire that threatened New York Harbor with a cataclysmic explosion during World War II.
This is another little-known occurrence in America's home front.
During World War II, Coast Guardsmen stationed in the New York City area were derisively called "Subway Sailors" because they would ride that conveyance during off hours for dates and Times Square.
On April 24, 1943, seaman Wittek was in his barracks awaiting a pass to visit his fiancee Anne Cooperman in Brooklyn. Meanwhile, ammunition and bombs bound for Europe was being loaded at Caven Point Pier in New Jersey. A fire broke out in the Panamanian freighter El Estero and there was an explosion. Two other ammunition ships were alongside as well as a line of railroad cars carrying munitions.
If these all blew, the same would happen to the huge fuel tanks at Bayonne, New Jersey and Staten Island. This would be a catastrophic damage and casualties.
VOLUNTEERS
A call for volunteers to fight the fire went out an 60 guardsmen along with Mr. Wittek immediately rushed to the pier. New York City fire boats fought the blaze until finally tugboats were able to tow the El Estero to the middle of the harbor while the Coast Guard men remained on board battling the blaze.
They were told to leave and, according to Wittek, "There was a picket boat. I went down a ladder and one of my friends said to me, 'Seymour, take my wallet. If anything happens, at least they will know I was there.'"
After four more hours, the weight of the water directed at the ship, finally sank it.
He married Ms. Cooperman seven weeks later.
Senior officers were awarded medals, but none to the enlisted men. Unfortunately, the disaster was soon mostly forgotten.
The Greatest Generation. --Cooter
Jan. 3, 2010, New York Times.
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