Cpl. Sylvester was killed in war on May 6, 1970 in Cambodia, Kien Hoa province. He is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. He is buried in the Union Baptist Church Cemetery. Posthumously, he was promoted to a Corporal.
"I never knew him, but I was watching him as he was watching me look after Bruce Hahn whose body was being lifted up to a helicopter. On 5/6/70 President Nixon permitted US troops to enter Cambodia. The unit was the 25th infantry division, company C , 3rd. We arrived across the river into Cambodia to protect engineers building a bridge for mechanized units to cross. The mechanized unit called in artillery into our position and did not know we were there. Mechanized always called for artillery bombardment prior to entering an area. We lost two KIA and 12 wounded. I watched the medic patch up Sylvester as he looked on. Once Bruce was lifted up, I looked to Mr. Ellis whose eyes no longer focused on me. He passed away after being wounded from the artillery shots. I remember the medic started to cry. A general came along and expressed his concern that such a terrible accident occurred." -Gary A. Harding