World War I Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Born in Pall Mall Tennessee, the third of 11 children, as a youth he became an expert marksman in the back woods around Pall Mall. In 1917 he received a draft notice to fight in the war, to which he wrote on the back of the notice 'don’t want to fight' and sent it back to the local draft board. The board rejected his refusal to fight and he was sent off to basic training. After basic training he was assigned to the 82nd Division where they fought numerous battles and were then tasked with supporting the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On October 8, 1918, Corporal Alvin York and sixteen other soldiers under the command of Sergeant Bernard Early were dispatched before sunrise to take command of the Decauville railroad behind Hill 223 in the
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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. After returning from the war York found religion and chose to be a pacifist. . With war becoming more likely again in Europe, Alvin told people to avoid war at all costs. But when World War II broke out, Alvin attempted to re-enlist in the infantry but age prevented him from doing so. Instead, he signed up with the Signal Corps and traveled the country on bond tours, recruitment drives, and camp inspections. In 1941 a stirring movie of his life and times titled "Sergeant York" starring Gary Cooper was released, which went on to win two Academy Awards. Alvin York died on September 2, 1964 and was buried with full military honors in the Wolf River cemetery. His funeral was attended by Governor Frank G. Clement and General Matthew Ridgway as President Lyndon B. Johnson's official
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. After returning from the war York found religion and chose to be a pacifist. . With war becoming more likely again in Europe, Alvin told people to avoid war at all costs. But when World War II broke out, Alvin attempted to re-enlist in the infantry but age prevented him from doing so. Instead, he signed up with the Signal Corps and traveled the country on bond tours, recruitment drives, and camp inspections. In 1941 a stirring movie of his life and times titled "Sergeant York" starring Gary Cooper was released, which went on to win two Academy Awards. Alvin York died on September 2, 1964 and was buried with full military honors in the Wolf River cemetery. His funeral was attended by Governor Frank G. Clement and General Matthew Ridgway as President Lyndon B. Johnson's official