Sylvester attended the United States Naval Academy, and graduated among the top of his class in 1926.

[1] His classmates included Henry C. Bruton, Charles Carpenter, Howard Gilmore, Lofton Henderson, Carlton Hutchins, Fitzhugh Lee, Max Leslie, Robert Pirie, and Wade McClusky.

Much of his career was spent in the Pacific or East Asia, including postings to Shanghai, Tsingtao, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

In 1955 Sylvester served as Task Force commander for Operation Wigwam, a test of an underwater detonation of a nuclear bomb.

From 1960 to 1965 he served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Logistics, and retired in 1965 with the rank of vice admiral.