ANTOLAK, SYLVESTER Medal
of Honor
Rank
and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company B, 15th Infantry, 3d Infantry
Division. Place and date: Near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, 24 May 1944.
Entered service at: St. Clairsville, Ohio, Birth:
St. Clairsville, Ohio. G.O. No.: 89, 19 October 1945. Citation: Near
Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, he charged 200 yards over flat, coverless terrain
to destroy an enemy machinegun 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 machinegun,
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
submachinegun wedged under his uninjured arm until within 15 yards of the enemy
strongpoint, 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
strongpoint 100 yards distant. Utterly disregarding the hail of bullets
concentrated upon him, he had stormed ahead nearly three-fourths of the space
between strongpoints when he was instantly killed by hostile enemy fire.
Antolak is probably Antoljak and many are found in Croatia.