Sergeant Filarecki was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in Korea on 20 September 1950 and returned to duty on 24 September 1950. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy near Kunu-ri, North Korea, on 30 November 1950 and died while a prisoner on 31 December 1950. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Filarecki was awarded the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.