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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

USNS Sgt. Sylvester Antolak (T-AP-192)
ex
USAT Sgt. Sylvester Antolak (1947 - 1950)

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Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - National Defense Service Medal
Bottom Row - Korean Service Medal (7) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korea War Service Medal (retroactive)

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Commissioned USAT Sgt/ Sylvester Antolak, 31 October 1947

USAT Sgt. Sylvester J. Antolak sailed from Yokohama, Japan, 2 December 1948 transporting

ground support elements of the 317th Troop Carrier Wing (Hvy) for assignment on the Berlin Airlift. After a 40

day voyage the ship arrived in Bremerhaven, Germany with the compliment of over 1,000 Officers and

Enlisted men. They were then assigned to RAF Station Celle, Germany for the duration of the Airlift which

officially ended on September 30, 1949.

Decommissioned and returned to the Maritime Commission at Suisun Bay, 31 October 1949, for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Suisun Bay

Acquired by the Navy, 22 July 1950

Placed in service with the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) as USNS Sgt. Sylvester J. Antolak (T-AP-192), 24 August 1950

During the Korean War Sargent Sylvester Antolak participated in the following campaigns:

Korean War Campaigns

Campaign and Dates	Campaign and Dates
North Korean Aggression 19 September to 2 November 1950	UN Summer-Fall Offensive 5 August 1951 15 to 16 September 1951 2 to 3 November 1951
Communist China Aggression 3 to 4 November 1950 1 to 4 January 1951	Second Korean Winter 20 to 22 December 1951 10 February 1952 27 to 28 March 1952
First UN Counter Offensive 31 March to 1 April 1951 10 to 12 April 1951	Korean Defense Summer-Fall 1952 6 to 7 July 1952 10 July 1952
Communist China Spring Offensive 9 to 10 June 1951	.

Placed out of service and delivered to the Maritime Administration (MARAD), for lay up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, 17 September 1952, at Olympia, WA.

Struck from the Naval Register, 6 November 1952

Final Disposition, sold by MARAD, 8 December 1971 to West Waterway Lumber Co., Seattle, WA. for non-transportation use, scrapped

USNS Sgt. Sylvester Antolak (T-AP-192) earned seven battle stars for Korean War service

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Specifications:
Displacement 4,420 t.(lt) 7,604 t.(fl)
Length 455'
Beam 62'
Draft 29'
Speed 16 kts.
Complement112
Troop Accommodations 1,070
Armament none
Propulsion cross compound steam turbine, single screw, 8,500shp

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Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Contributed By
Commercial Service
	5098k	SS Stetson Victory moored across the pier from USS Rushmore (LSD-14) in a shipyard in the Portland, Oregon area, circa December 1945.		William Brown for his father J.L. Brown EM3/c USS Rushmore
USAT Sargent Sylvester Antolak
	76k	Namesake Sgt. Sylvester Antolak, Company B, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division, was born at St. Clairsville, Ohio, and was killed in action on 24 May 1944. Near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, he charged 200 yards over flat, coverless terrain to destroy an enemy machine gun nest during the second day of the offensive which broke through the German cordon of steel around the Anzio beachhead. Fully 30 yards in advance of his squad, he ran into withering enemy machine gun, machine-pistol and rifle fire. Three times he was struck by bullets and knocked to the ground, but each time he struggled to his feet to continue his relentless advance. With one shoulder deeply gashed and his right arm shattered, he continued to rush directly into the enemy fire concentration with his submachine gun wedged under his uninjured arm until within 15 yards of the enemy strong point, where he opened fire at deadly close range, killing 2 Germans and forcing the remaining 10 to surrender. He reorganized his men and, refusing to seek medical attention so badly needed, chose to lead the way toward another strong point 100 yards distant. Utterly disregarding the hail of bullets concentrated upon him, he had stormed ahead nearly three-fourths of the space between strong points when he was instantly killed by hostile enemy fire. Inspired by his example, his squad went on to overwhelm the enemy troops. By his supreme sacrifice, superb fighting courage, and heroic devotion to the attack, Sgt. Antolak was directly responsible for eliminating 20 Germans, capturing an enemy machine gun, and clearing the path for his company to advance. Photo from the Society of the 3rd Infantry Division thanks to Rich Heller		Bill Gonyo
	43k	USAT Sargent Sylvester Antolak underway, circa 1947-1949, location unknown.		Lewis D. Whipple
USNS Sgt. Sylvester Antolak (T-AP-192)
	87k	Ex-USNS Sgt. Sylvester Antolak (T-AP-192) and ex-USNS Pvt. Joe P. Martinez (T-AP-187) in the last stages of be scrapped at West Waterway Lumber Co., Seattle, WA., 19 September 1974. Both have lost their propellers and the Martinez has been cut down below the main deck level, Photos taken from Warship Boneyards, by Kit and Carolyn Bonner, courtesy L.Cote.		Robert Hurst

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USNS Sgt. Sylvester Antolak (T-AP-192)
DANFS history entry located at the US Naval History and Heritage Command Center

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Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation

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Last Updated 18 January 2013