Marine veteran Sylvester B. McIntosh was honored before a crowd of about 1,000 at Veterans Memorial Island Sanctuary last Saturday, the recipient of the Silver Star Military Award for Conspicuous Gallantry and Intrepidity in Action Against the Enemy, at a ceremony hosted by the Veterans Council of Indian River County and the Vietnam Veterans of Indian River County.
Born in Wabasso, McIntosh rose to the rank of sergeant before returning home from the Vietnam War to earn a doctorate in religious education and become a pastor and strong community leader, guiding local youth and serving on the board of the Gifford Youth Achievement Center.
“I have grown up here and have no greater love than for this community,” said McIntosh. “I traveled all over the world but I have always come home to Wabasso.”
Recognition for his multiple heroic actions has taken almost 50 years. On May 13, 1967, during an intense search and destroy operation on the battlefields of Vietnam, then Cpl. McIntosh was a squad leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines.
“His paperwork got lost in the shuffle,” said Col. Martin Zickert USAF (Ret). “Sylvester is not the kind to go looking for recognition so it took others who were looking out for him to push for the award on his behalf. Quite honestly, it really should have been a Medal of Honor for what he did.”
The Silver Star is the third highest combat valor award in the country, with only the Medal of Honor and Navy Cross, awarded by the president of the United States, higher in distinction.
Master Sgt. Dennis Lee and Lt. Col. Al Slater, who served with McIntosh, spoke of their admiration for their friend and his exemplary acts of heroism. They recounted that under heavy fire, despite being seriously wounded, McIntosh rescued three of their unit from the “kill zone” before finally collapsing from a chest wound.
As Lee related, “Unbeknownst to us, he had been shot in the chest and after bringing in the third man from the battle field he dropped down and said, ‘Doc, I can’t do it anymore.’ When we put him on the chopper I assumed we would never see him alive again.”
McIntosh had also thrown himself on three grenades which, although they did not explode, had the potential to kill the 19-year-old. Despite that possibility, he said he did it regardless to “save my Marines.”
“I went off to the Marine Corps because of a sense of duty that called, but while there I fell in love with these men with whom I served,” said McIntosh. “I want to say to the VFW, the Marine and Vietnam vets, the DAV (Disabled American Veteran) and this community for taking the time to recognize this little old fellow – I want to say thank you and God bless.”
As Lee and Slater presented the Silver Star to McIntosh, fellow veterans, current military personnel and members of the community stood and applauded. Children from St. Peters Academy sang the Marines’ Hymn before the Color Guard filed out at the end of the ceremony.
“This is one of the best events and the first Silver Star Award we have ever had in Indian River,” said Zickert. “This honors a man who has come back to his community and taken up traits that got him the award in the first place.”
McIntosh was quickly swarmed with well-wishers, but waving off his own celebrity he said he preferred to focus on others, including his son, grandson and granddaughter currently serving in the military.
“We are so proud of my dad today, as we always have been,” said his son, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Charlie McIntosh. “He has taught us all that family and God comes first, and that we should act at all times with that in mind. He guided me first into the Marines and then later into the U.S. Army to serve our country and get a great education. He has been an inspiration to our family and the community.”
“He was always one of the role models that we all looked up to,” added McIntosh’s nephew Dariyall Brown. “He demonstrated leadership in our household. It was important to have him in our lives because he taught us all about respect and our responsibilities in the community.”