Alvin York
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Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964) was a United States soldier, famous for his heroism in World War I. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine-gun nest, killing 32 German soldiers and capturing 131 others as well as 35 German machine guns.
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Early life
York was born in Pall Mall, Tennessee, the third of eleven children born to William York and the former Mary Elizabeth Brooks. As was typical of the area and times, his family subsisted by farming and hunting. As a result, young Alvin became an expert marksman in the area woods.
York was something of a "nuisance" as a youth, frequently getting into drunken brawls. In 1914 his best friend was killed in a bar fight, prompting York to change his ways. He became a devout Christian after that incident, joining the denomination known as the Church of Christ in Christian Union. His conversion supposedly led him to file as a conscientious objector at the start of World War I, though there are disputes as to his exact technical status.
World War I
York eventually was drafted into the United States Army and assigned to the 82nd Infantry Division in 1917.
At some point he experienced a change of heart and decided he would fight, but would never be proud of his war-time exploits.
As a corporal in the 328th Infantry, in the Battle of Meuse River-Argonne Forest on 1918 October 8, he assumed command of his detachment after three other NCOs fell. While he is sometimes described as acting single-handedly, his official citation says he led seven others in a charge on an active machine-gun nest. They killed 32 German soldiers and captured 132, including four officers. (He is said to have explained this feat by saying they had surrounded the enemy.)
York's chain of command honored this accomplishment by originally awarding him the Distinguished Service Cross. France, whose forces he was directly aiding and whose territory was involved, added its Croix de Guerre and Legion of Honor. Italy and Montenegro, also allies, awarded him their Croce di Guerra and War Medal, respectively. He was subsequently presented the Medal of Honor by the commanding general of the American Expeditionary Force, John J. Pershing.
At the time of his heroics, York was in fact only a corporal. His promotion to sergeant was part of the honor that he received for his valor but resulted in his becoming known to the United States (and much of the world) as "Sergeant York".
Post-war life
Returning home as a war hero, York founded a private agricultural institute in Jamestown, Tennessee, near his home community of Pall Mall. The Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute never thrived under his management and was eventually turned over to the State of Tennessee. It still serves as the public high school for the northern part of Fentress County, Tennessee despite being operated by the State Department of Education; theoretically any qualified high school student from any part of Tennessee can attend school there in order to study agriculture, but in practice almost all of the students are from the immediate area.
York later operated a mill in Pall Mall on the Wolf River which is today part of a state park (His son, Andrew York, serves as a park ranger there).
In gratitude for his accomplishments, the state of Tennessee provided him with a white frame house near the mill; the house still stands near U.S. Highway 127, which is appropriately named Alvin C. York Highway (commonly referred to as York Highway) where it runs through Fentress County.
Alvin York died September 2, 1964, of a cerebral hemorrhage and was buried at the Wolf River Cemetery in Pall Mall.
Legacy
York's life story was told in the 1941 movie Sergeant York, with Gary Cooper portraying the title role.
In the 1980s, the United States Army named its "DIVAD" anti-aircraft weapon the "Sergeant York"; this project was cancelled, however, due to technical problems.
On May 5, 2000, the United States Postal Service issued the Distinguished Soldiers stamps, in which York was honored.