Sergeant York
(Alvin York)
1887–1964
Alvin York was born in Tennessee and took on the role of providing for his
family after his father passed away in 1911. He took a career in railroad
construction and later logging; yet despite his dedication to his job, his
faith, and his family, he was also a violent alcoholic who was arrested on
several accounts. This behavior finally ceased in 1915, at a revival meeting
for the Church of Christ in Christian Union. The church had its groundings in
anti-Civil War pacifism, and when he was obliged to register for the national
draft, he claimed exemption on the grounds of his new beliefs.
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| WORLD WAR I ALLIED HERO |
Nevertheless, York was drafted in November 1917, and despite later opportunities
for discharge, he remained in the army until the completion of his service in
1919. His commanders, also devout Christians, assured York that God meant for
him to fight, and York, persuaded by this new philosophy, went on to become one
of the most decorated soldiers during
The Great War, or World War I.
In 1918, he earned great fame for an attack to secure German positions in
France. The Germans were armed with machine guns, and they quickly killed six
members of York’s battalion, but York managed to evade fire, shooting repeatedly
at his attackers, until their surrender. He killed twenty-eight Germans and
left the battlefield with 132 prisoners in tow. In addition to the Medal of
Honor, York received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Honor from
France, and nearly fifty other decorations. Upon his return to Tennessee, he
was greeted with a formal banquet and five-day tour of the eastern United
States. He was offered thousands of dollars for newspaper stories,
advertisement appearances, and movie rights to his story, but York declined,
instead lending his support to various charities and civil causes. The one gift
he did accept was a 400-acre farm given him by the Rotary Club, but the farm
proved unprofitable and the club unable to make the property payments. York was
forced to appeal for financial aid, which was finally given him in 1921.
In the 1920s, York also created the Alvin C. York Foundation with the aim of
increasing education opportunities in northern Tennessee, but during the Great
Depression, the government failed to assist financially, and York was soon
ousted as president. Regardless, he continued to donate money to the cause.
During World War II, York attempted to re-enlist, but he was denied and instead
given the honorary rank of Colonel in the Army Signal Corps, a role that he
played extremely well. Upon his return home, he finally allowed for a film
about his life, and in 1941 the movie Sergeant York debuted. Sergeant
York passed away in 1964 and was buried in his hometown.
Key events during the life of Sergeant York:
| Year |
Event |
| 1887 |
Born. |
| 1911 |
Father died. |
| 1915 |
Underwent a conversion following a revival meeting. |
| 1917 |
Drafted into the U.S. Army |
| 1918 |
Earned great recognition after a victory against the Germans in France. |
| 1919 |
Was discharged from the service. |
| |
Married Gracie Loretta Williams. |
| 1921 |
Went into debt while trying to pay for a farm given him by the Rotary Club. |
| 1941 |
Attempted to re-emlist during WWII but was instead made Colonel in the Army Signal Corps. |
| |
The movie Sergeant York was released. |
| 1964 |
Died. |
Other Resources
| Contemporary |
Short Biography |
| General Pershing |
Leader of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. |
| Woodrow Wilson |
United States President during the First World War. Founder of the League of Nations. |