Private First Class Frank Peter Witek (1921-1944), War in the Pacific National Historical Park, 2016.

Photo date unknown. Pictured: Private First Class Frank Peter Witek, killed in action on August 3, 1944. He served with the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division during the Battle of Finegayen at Guam, Marianas, August 3, 1944. Witek was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism and sacrifice during World War II. Description: When his rifle platoon was halted by heavy surprise fire from well-camouflaged enemy positions, PFC Witek daringly remained standing to fire a full magazine from his automatic weapon at point-blank range into a depression housing Japanese troops, killing 8 of the enemy soldiers and enabling the greater part of his platoon to take cover. During his platoon's withdrawal for consolidation of lines, he remained to safeguard a severely wounded comrade, courageously returning the enemy's fire until the arrival of stretcher bearers and continued covering the evacuation by sustained fire as he moved backward toward his own lines. With his platoon again pinned down by a hostile machine gun, PFC Witek, on his own initiative, moved forward boldly to the reinforcing tanks and infantry, alternately throwing handgrenades and firing as he advanced to within 5-to-10 yards of the enemy position and destroying the hostile machine gun emplacement and another 8 enemy soldiers before he was struck down by an enemy rifleman. His valiant and inspiring action effectively reduced the enemy's firepower, thereby enabling his platoon to attain its objective.