Alvin C. York - Pall Mall, TN - Medal Of Honor Resting Places on Waymarking.com

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. 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. According to York's diary, his mother and his pastor filed the application for conscientious objector status on York's behalf, but York refused to sign the papers.

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 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.

At the time of his heroics, York was in fact still a corporal. His promotion to sergeant was part of the honor for his valor but resulted in his becoming known to the United States (and much of the world) as "Sergeant York".

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 is now operated by the State of Tennessee. It still serves as the public high school for the northern part of Fentress County, Tennessee. York later operated a mill in Pall Mall on the Wolf River which is today part of a state park and his son, Andrew Jackson 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 on U.S. Highway 127, which is appropriately named Alvin C. York Highway.

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

Alvin York's life 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.

Armed Service: Army

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