World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. He posthumously received the award (presented to his mother) from the United States Marine Corps Commandant General Alexander Vandergrift at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois, on May 20, 1945, for his actions as a Private First Class with the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, at the Battle of Guam on August 3, 1944. Following the U.S. entry into World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in January 1942 and was sent to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The following year, he saw action in the Bougainville Campaign, and, in July 1944, his Marine division invaded the island of Guam, where he served as a a Browning automatic rifleman and scout behind the Japanese lines. He was killed in action at the age of 22. He was also awarded the Purple Heart. Initially buried at the U.S. Military Cemetery in Guam, in 1949, his remains were moved to the Rock Island National Cemetery in Rock Island, Illinois. In 1946, a Gearing-class greyhound destroyer, the USS Witek (DD-848) was named in his honor. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the First Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division, during the Battle of Finegayan at Guam, Marianas, on 3 August 1944. When his rifle platoon was halted by heavy surprise fire from well-camouflaged enemy positions, Private First Class Witek daringly remained standing to fire a full magazine from his automatic point-blank range into a depression housing Japanese troops, killing eight of the enemy 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 then 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, Private First Class Witek, on his own initiative, moved forward boldly ahead of the reinforcing tanks and infantry, alternately throwing hand grenades and firing as he advanced to within five to ten yards of the enemy position, destroying the hostile machine-gun gun emplacement and an additional eight Japanese before he, himself, 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, and reflects the highest credit upon Private First Class Witek and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country."