Walter Gustav Sittmann was a U.S. Merchant Marine officer who received the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal for outstanding conduct and service in the line of duty during World War II.
Midshipman Walter G. Sittmann was among the awardees of the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal, the highest decoration the U.S. Merchant Marine can bestow. The medal recognizes exceptional service on or after September 3, 1939, and is presented by the United States Maritime Administration.
Cadet-Midshipman Walter G. Sittmann volunteered to go at the stern of his ship with the radio operator and cut the mooring lines when a blazing ammunition ship tied next to them at a dock was hit during an air-raid. This courageous act resulted in saving the lives of many others and valuable supplies.
This is the untold story of a World II veteran who I was proud to call my godfather and Uncle Walter. The photos shown in this article are Uncle Walter receiving the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal accompanied by his wife, Mary (my aunt and godmother) and his mother, Carolyn.
The untold story of my hero Uncle Walter was conveyed to me by Aunt Mary over the years. I was a captive audience.
I will begin with a young Merchant Marine Seaman riding in a bus with other seamen in the early 1940’s. Uncle Walter walked to the back of the bus where black men sat segregated from white seamen and sat down with them. When he was asked why he would sit in the back of the bus, Uncle Walter replied, “their blood is as red as mine.” Proud of my uncle would be an understatement.
Years ago, my husband was curious as to where my aunt and uncle were when Pearl Harbor was bombed and asked that I question my aunt during our daily call. She told me that she and Uncle Walter were walking in NYC when people on the street were calling out “where is Pearl Harbor?” Uncle Walter shared information to inquisitive strangers, and my aunt filled me in. I laughed when she came back with “would you like to know where I was when Washington crossed the Delaware?”
Uncle Walter died in 1986, and Aunt Mary died in 2018 at almost 100 years old. We talked daily. In one of our conversations that I still treasure, she said “I am your aunt and godmother and we are best friends — you can just call me “Mary” and not “Aunt Mary.” Of course, I honored her request.
I encourage everyone to sit down with your grandparents and family members to learn not only your family history, but also the history of our country and its heroes.
God bless America and may Uncle Walter help guide us back to the country he valiantly protected — with God’s help.
For me to have an uncle who was not only a wonderful man, but the recipient of the Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal makes me beyond proud. To have an aunt who was my best friend and kept her husband’s life a legacy is beyond a gift to me.
