Sergeant Alvin York

Born in rural Tennessee, Alvin York was never exposed to violence and war in his childhood. He was raised on a farm tending to animals with his parents and taking care of the land. As one of eleven kids, he had minimal schooling in order to help provide for his family through hunting, fishing, and other activities. York became the head of the family after the death of his father and had to assume a greater role of responsibility. He and his family attended church regularly and were Pacifists, a denomination that would later become a contrast to his achievements in World War I. However, he got into many fistfights and drank a copious amount, also going against his religion. In 1918, he joined the 82nd Division and went to France, where his actions would earn him the highest possible military honor. Being raised as a Pacifist, York clearly stated that in his agreement to join the war he would not use violence. His later feat of courage obliterated that statement. Nine of the men York was fighting with were injured or killed, leaving him as the highest ranking individual left of the platoon. York decided to attack the Germans by himself. As he was making his way through the German ranks, he came across 6 German soldiers who all charged at him with bayonets, resulting in York killing them all with his pistol. The machine gun was being manned by a German officer who surrendered to York after watching him single-handedly murder six of his comrades. After the officer surrendered, York took in 130 Germans as hostages and brought them back to the American camp, earning him the Medal of Honor, the greatest honor that can be presented to someone in the army. This act of courage made Sergeant York a war hero and brought him great fame.