Sergeant Alvin C. York
N 36° 32.857 W 084° 57.269
16S E 683086 N 4046636
Sergeant Alvin York was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during World War I. His life was the subject of a the 1941 movie "Sgt. York," in which Gary Cooper starred in the title role.
Waymark Code: WM157E
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 01/19/2007
Views: 133
Alvin C.York was born in Pall Mall, Tennessee in the Valley of the Three Forks of the Wolf, and was the third of eleven children born to William York and Mary Elizabeth York. He was drafted into the United States Army and assigned to the 82nd Infantry Division in 1917.
As a corporal in the 328th Infantry, in the Battle of Meuse River-Argonne Forest on 8 October 1918, he assumed command of his detachment after three other NCOs fell. While sometimes described as acting single-handedly, his official citation says he led seven others in a charge on an active machine-gun nest.
Initially, York's chain of command honored this accomplishment by 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. The Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded to the Medal of Honor, which was presented to York by the commanding general of the American Expeditionary Force, John J. Pershing.
His official Medal of Honor Citation reads:
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company G, 328th Infantry, 82d 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 had 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.
He was promoted to Sergeant and became known throughout the United States as "Sgt. York." Following the war, he returned to his native Fentress County, where he lived the rest of his life farming and operating a general store and grist mill.
Sergeant Alvin C. York died on September 2, 1964 and is buried in the Wolf River Cemetery in Pall Mall, Tennessee.
Date of birth: 12/13/1887
Date of death: 09/02/1964
Area of notoriety: Military
Marker Type: Monument
Setting: Outdoor
Visiting Hours/Restrictions: Dawn to Dusk
Fee required?: No
Web site: [Web Link]
Description: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
To post a visit log for waymarks in this category, you must have personally visited the waymark location. When logging your visit, please provide a note describing your visit experience, along with any additional information about the waymark or the surrounding area that you think others may find interesting.
We especially encourage you to include any pictures that you took during your visit to the waymark. However, only respectful photographs are allowed. Logs which include photographs representing any form of disrespectful behavior (including those showing personal items placed on or near the grave location) will be subject to deletion.