December 17th, 2019
6minute read
The story of Sergeant Alvin York is the stuff of legend.
His real-world achievements are beyond the imaginations of Hollywoods best script doctors.
York is one of the most famous American riflemen of all time.
Sgt. Alvin York on his return voyage to the United States, wearing the Medal of Honor and the French Croix de Guerre. Image: National Archive
He brought the incredible natural accuracy of the American woodsman to the battlefields of France during World War I.
During his early 20s, Alvin became a heavy drinker, gambler, and a bit of a brawler.
After his father died, he took over the family blacksmith business.
York’s registration card, containing the phrase “don’t want to fight” written in his own hand.
At that point, World War I was nothing more than a distant rumble, far away in Europe.
When the United States entered the war in April of 1917, York found himself in a difficult position.
In his opinion the Bible made it clear: Thou shalt not kill.
Photograph of York at the base of the hill in the Argonne where his famous action took place, taken February 2, 1919. Image: National Archives
York filed a petition with his draft board as a conscientious objector.
York filed an appeal and was again denied.
Subsequently he was drafted and assigned to the 82ndDivision at Camp Gordon, Georgia.
York’s conscientious objector claim.
In the mountain woods near Pall Mall, he got his answer.
Little did the Kaisers men know what was about to be unleashed upon them.
He found the U.S. Model 1903 Springfield rifle (.30-06) to be quite to his liking.
Springfield Armory offers a modern pistol inspired by the 1911 and later 1911A1 military pistols.
His son Andrew commented that his father was uncomfortable with the M1917s peep sight.
The final Allied advance against German positions had reached its critical stage, and the German resistance was fierce.
American casualties were already high.
During an attack on Decauville rail line, Yorks unit (under the command of Sgt.
Bernard Early) came under intense fire from several German machine guns.
Early and two corporals were badly wounded, leaving York in command.
He began to systematically eliminate the gunners with accurate fire from his M1903 Springfield rifle.
At this point, a German officer led five men on a bayonet charge towards Yorks position.
Maybe they had correctly estimated that York was low on or even out of ammo.
What they did not predict was that the stubborn American had an M1911 .45 caliber pistol.
The German officer died last, with his entire squad dead behind him.
With his remaining .30 caliber ammunition, York continued to snipe at German gunners.
This proved to be too much for the remaining German officer, who signaled his intention to surrender.
Surprisingly, nearly fifty troops came with him.
One of the surrendering Germans took a chance and tossed a grenade.
It went off and wounded a couple of other Germans, but York was unharmed.
Even so, he shot the man that threw the grenade to maintain order among the rest.
The small group of Americans began to move the much larger gang of German prisoners toward American lines.
Along the way, York kept his M1911s muzzle close against the German officer.
As other German troops were encountered, the officer ordered them to surrender.
By the time York and his men reached their battalion headquarters, they had accumulated 132 prisoners.
When asked how he did it, York simply said I surrounded em.
For his amazing feat, York was promoted to the rank of sergeant and received the Medal of Honor.
A rather short and terse assessment of one of the greatest individual achievements in American military history.
However, it does fit with Yorks humble beginnings.
No one would have suspected the hero he would become.
The story has been carefully checked in every possible detail from Headquarters of this Division and is entirely substantiated.
His teams findings were incredible.
Forensic ballistic analysis verified that the rifle and pistol cartridges recovered matched Yorks M1903 rifle and M1911 pistol.
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