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* [http://state.tn.us/environment/parks/SgtYork/ Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park web site]
* [http://state.tn.us/environment/parks/SgtYork/ Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park web site]
* [http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/08/york.shtml Special report and slideshow on Alvin York from ''The Tennessean'', Nashville, TN]
* [http://www.tennessean.com/local/archives/04/08/york.shtml Special report and slideshow on Alvin York from ''The Tennessean'', Nashville, TN]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=1135 Alvin C. York Gravesite]




Revision as of 15:05, 13 December 2007

Alvin Cullum York
  
Sergeant Alvin York
Nickname(s)
"Sergeant York"
Service / branchUnited States Army
RankCaptain
Unit82nd Infantry Division
Battles / warsWorld War I
*Meuse-Argonne Offensive
AwardsMedal of Honor
Legion of Honor
Croix de Guerre
Croce di Guerra
War medal (Montenegero)
Alvin York, and his army registration card

Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964) was a United States soldier, famous for his being both a conscientious objector and a hero in World War I. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading an attack on a German machine gun nest, killing 25 German soldiers and capturing 132 others during the U.S.-led Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France.

Early years

Alvin Collum York was born to an impoverished farming family in Tennessee on December 13, 1887, the third of eleven children.[1] On June 5, 1917, at the age of 29, Alvin York received a notice to register for the draft. From that day, until he arrived back from the War on May 29, 1919, he kept a diary of his activities.[2]

World War I 1917-1918

York was inducted into the United States Army and served in Company G, 328th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Infantry Division at Camp Gordon, Georgia. Discussion of the biblical stance on war with his company commander, Captain Edward Courtney Bullock Danforth (1894-1974) of Augusta, Georgia and his battalion commander, Major Gonzalo Edward Buxton (1880-1949) of Providence, Rhode Island, eventually convinced York that warfare could be justified. [1]

During a mission to secure the German Decauville rail-line on October 8, 1918, York's actions earned him the Medal of Honor. He recalled:

"The Germans got us, and they got us right smart. They just stopped us dead in our tracks. Their machine guns were up there on the heights overlooking us and well hidden, and we couldn’t tell for certain where the terrible heavy fire was coming from…And I'm telling you they were shooting straight. Our boys just went down like the long grass before the mowing machine at home. Our attack just faded out… And there we were, lying down, about halfway across [the valley] and those German machine guns and big shells getting us hard."[3]

The German fire took a heavy toll on the regiment. Seventeen men under the command of Sergeant Bernard Early (which included York) infiltrated behind the German lines to take out the machine guns. The group worked their way behind the Germans and overran the headquarters of a German unit, capturing a large group of German soldiers who were preparing to counter-attack against the US troops. Early’s men were contending with the prisoners when machine gun fire suddenly peppered the area, killing six Americans, Corp. Murray Savage, and Pvts. Maryan E. Dymowski, Ralph E. Weiler, Fred Waring, William Wins and Walter E. Swanson, and wounding three others, Sgt. Brenard Early, Corp. William S. Cutting (AKA Otis B. Merrithew) and Pvt. Mario Muzzi. The fire came from German machine guns on the ridge, which turned their weapons on the US soldiers. The loss of the nine put Corporal York in charge of the seven remaining U.S. soldiers, Privates Joseph Konotski (Kornacki), Percy Beardsley, Feodor Sok, Thomas C. Johnson, Michael A. Saccina, Patrick Donohue and George W. Wills. As his men remained under cover, and guarding the prisoners, York worked his way into position to silence the German machine guns. York recalled:

"And those machine guns were spitting fire and cutting down the undergrowth all around me something awful. And the Germans were yelling orders. You never heard such a racket in all of your life. I didn't have time to dodge behind a tree or dive into the brush... As soon as the machine guns opened fire on me, I began to exchange shots with them. There were over thirty of them in continuous action, and all I could do was touch the Germans off just as fast as I could. I was sharp shooting... All the time I kept yelling at them to come down. I didn't want to kill any more than I had to. But it was they or I. And I was giving them the best I had."[4]

One of York’s prisoners, German First Lieutenant Paul Jürgen Vollmer, emptied his pistol trying to kill York while he was contending with the machine guns. Failing to injure York, and seeing his mounting loses, he offered to surrender the unit to York, which was gladly accepted. By the end of the engagement, York and his seven men marched 132 German prisoners back to the American lines. His actions silenced the German machine guns and were responsible for enabling the 328th Infantry Regiment to renew the offensive to capture the Decauville Railroad.[5]

York was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism, but this was upgraded to the Medal of Honor, which was presented to York by the commanding general of the American Expeditionary Force, General John J. Pershing. The French Republic, awarded him the Croix de Guerre and Legion of Honor. Italy and Montenegro, awarded him; Croce di Guerra and War Medal, respectively.

York was a Corporal during the action. His promotion to sergeant was part of the honor for his valor. Of his deeds York said to his division commander, General Duncan, in 1919: "A higher power than man power guided and watched over me and told me what to do."

Sergeant York was selected to be a pallbearer for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier when it was created.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company G, 328th Infantry, 82nd Division. Place and date: Near Chatel-Chehery, France, 8 October 1918. Entered service at: Pall Mall, Tenn. Born: 13 December 1887, Fentress County, Tenn. G.O. No.: 59, W.D., 1919.

Citation:

After his platoon suffered heavy casualties and 3 other noncommissioned officers had become casualties, Cpl. York assumed command. Fearlessly leading 7 men, he charged with great daring a machinegun nest which was pouring deadly and incessant fire upon his platoon. In this heroic feat the machinegun nest was taken, together with 4 officers and 128 men and several guns.[6]

Post-war life

On June 7, 1919, Alvin York married Gracie Williams. They had 7 children, all of whom were named after famous American historical figures. York founded the Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute, a private agricultural institute in Jamestown, Tennessee, that was eventually turned over to the State of Tennessee. York also opened a Bible School, and later operated a mill in Pall Mall on the Wolf River.

Alvin York died at the Veterans Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee on September 2, 1964, of a cerebral hemorrhage and was buried at the Wolf River Cemetery in Pall Mall.[7]

Legacy

1941 film — Sergeant York
York's story was told in the 1941 movie Sergeant York, with Gary Cooper portraying the title role. York refused to authorize a film version of his life story unless he received a contractual guarantee that Cooper would be the actor to portray him. The film won Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Gary Cooper).
York Avenue, NYC
York Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan was named for the Sergant in 1928.[8]
DIVAD weapon system
In the 1980s, the United States Army named its DIVAD weapon system "Sergeant York"; the project was cancelled due to technical problems and massive cost overruns.[9]
U.S. Postal Service Distinguished Soldiers stamp
On May 5, 2000, the United States Postal Service issued the "Distinguished Soldiers" stamps, in which York was honored.[10]
Laura Cantrell song
Laura Cantrell's song "Old Downtown" mentions York in depth.[11]
President Reagan funeral procession
The riderless horse in the funeral procession of President Ronald Reagan was named Sergeant York.[12]
82nd Airborne theater
The 82nd Airborne Division's movie theater at Fort Bragg, North Carolina is named York Theater.[13]
File:Sgt. York Memorial.jpg
York statue, Nashville, Tennessee
Sergeant York Historic Trail
"The Sergeant York Historic Trail is being constructed under the supervision of LTC Douglas Mastriano and the Sergeant York Discovery Expedition in the Argonne, so that all visitors to the Argonne can walk where York walked. Boy Scout troops have already started work on the trail. All French officials in the region approved the trail and the locations of markers. A large dedication ceremony will be done on the spot of York's feat in a date TBD. A large contingent from the French military and the US Army are expected."[14][15]
Football trophy
The traveling American football trophy between Austin Peay, UT Martin, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech is called the Alvin C. York trophy.[16]
229th Military Intelligence Battalion hall
The 229th US Army Military Intelligence Battalion, Alpha Company, Monterey California, dedicated their soldier's hall in honor of SGT York. COL Gerald York (US Army, retired, grandson of Alvin York) officiated at the dedication ceremony.[citation needed]
Sergeant Alvin C. York Statue
A monumental sized statue of York by sculptor Felix de Weldon was placed on the grounds of the Tennessee State Capitol in 1968.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Trust amidst doubt and adversity: The Testimony of Alvin C York".
  2. ^ "Sergeant York Biography". MedalofHonor.com. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  3. ^ York, Sergeant York: His Own Life Story and War Diary, 1928.
  4. ^ "The SYDE Story", The Sergeant York Discovery Expedition.
  5. ^ Mastriano, Douglas, Brave Hearts under Red Skies.
  6. ^ "York, Alvin C.", (Medal of Honor citation), CMH.
  7. ^ "Alvin Collum York", Find-A-Grave.
  8. ^ Pollak, Michael (August 7, 2005). "The Great Race — "A Tennesseean Honored"". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  9. ^ Wilentz, Amy (September 9, 1985). "No More Time for Sergeant York". TIME magazine. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  10. ^ "Distinguished Soldiers". America's 2000 Stamp Program. United States Postal Service. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  11. ^ "Laura Cantrell Biography". Matador Records. June 21, 2005. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  12. ^ Kindred, Dave (June 21, 2004). "A proud performer after all (Reagan Funeral Insight to Sgt. York - The riderless horse)". The Sporting News. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  13. ^ "Ft Bragg — York Theatre". Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES). Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  14. ^ "York trail-work begins! SYDE honors York, soldiers and preserves a piece of history". SYDE News. Sergeant York Discovery Expedition. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  15. ^ "Historic Trail". Sergeant York Project. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
  16. ^ Scott, Marlon (October 3, 2007). "The New Sergeant York Trophy Series". The All State. Retrieved 2007-10-23.

References

  • York, Alvin (1928). Sergeant York: His Own Life Story and War Diary. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, Doran.
  • Wheeler, Richard (editor) (1998). Sergeant York and the Great War. Bulverde, TX: Mantle Ministries. {{cite book}}: |author= has generic name (help); Unknown parameter |note= ignored (help)
  • Trulock, Alice (1992). In the Hands of Providence. University of North Carolina Press. p. 340.
  • Dr. Gustav Strohm, Die Württembergishchen Regimenter im Weltkrieg 1914-1918
  • Das Württembergishche Landwehr Infanterie Regiment (Belser Verlasbuchhandklung; 1922)
  • Baden-Württemberg Hauptstaatsarchiv I Landwehr Regiment Kriegstagebuch
  • Baden-Württemberg Hauptstaatsarchiv - II Landwehr Regiment Kriegstagebuch
  • Baden-Württemberg Hauptstaatsarchiv - III Landwehr Regiment Kriegstagebuch
  • Baden-Württemberg Hauptstaatsarchiv Kriegsrangeliste
  • Baden-Württemberg Hauptstaatsarchiv, Landwehr Regiment Kriegstagebuch
  • Baden-Württemberg Hauptstaatsarchiv I.5 Landwehr Regiment Kriegstagebuch
  • Baden-Württemberg Hauptstaatsarchiv, II.5 Landwehr Regiment Kriegstagebuch
  • Smith, Craig S. (The New York Times) (October 26, 2006). "Proof offered of Sergeant York's war exploits". International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 2007-03-09. Article announcing the discovery of the site where York earned the Medal of Honor.
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