June 18, 2025 • 41 mins
If you were alive between 1918 and 1940, it is absolutely certain that you would have heard of Alvin York’s famous exploits in World War One. But would you know the truth about the man, and about what he did one desperate day on the battlefield? Chances are you’d only know part of his story. But the tale behind his actual heroism is far more interesting, and far more human.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Pushkin. At three in the morning and the pitch dark
and drizzling rain, the men were told that it was
time to march. It was October eighth, nineteen eighteen. Company
G of the three to twenty eighth Infantry of the
US Army had been in France for almost five months,
(00:30):
sleeping in wet and dirty trenches, enduring German bombardments that
rattled their bones and made their ears ring, strapping on
masks to save themselves from the suffocating and burning and
blinding mustard gas, watching as their comrades got picked off
by sniper fire. And now in the blackest part of
(00:51):
the night, Company G was on the move. They marched
past bombed out towns and trees that had been burned
to stubbs. The road was amazing, trucks and horses slippery
and almost impossible to navigate. Their wet boots hit the
puddled roads, and a kind of drum beat, the clump
of horseshoes keeping time, the boom and flash of German
(01:14):
artillery shells serving as terrifying punctuation. Deep in the mass
of men was Private Alvin York. He had come to
France from a tiny rural town in Tennessee, leaving the
county of his birth for the very first time at
the age of twenty nine. Now he was here wrestling
(01:37):
with the fact that he was being sent into a
terrible battle, one that would see certain death for some,
if not most, of his company. He was wrestling with
something else as well. He was a man of intense faith.
He had committed himself to the service of God and
the Bible. He believed wholeheartedly and one of the main
(01:58):
tenants of Christianity, Thou shalt not kill. Sniper bullets zip
past the muddy and exhausted men as they finally reached
their destination, a hill near the French town of Chatel Jahari.
On the far side of the hill an entrenched German force,
(02:19):
weighted with machine guns pointed at the fields below. When
they reached the top of the hill, the men of
Company G were told at six' ten a. M zero,
hour you'll go over the top down to those fields
into the sights of those Waiting german. Guns at zero,
hour the men fixed their bayonets and they went over
(02:42):
the hill into the. Shooting I'm. Jr, martinez and this
is medal of. Honor stories of, courage The medal Of
honor is the highest military decoration in The United, states
awarded for gallantry and bravery and combat at the risk of,
life above and beyond the call of. Duty each candidate
(03:06):
must be approved all the way up the chain of,
command from the supervisory officer in the field to The White.
House this show is about those, heroes what they, did
what it, meant and what their stories tell us about
the nature of courage and. Sacrifice what happened on That october,
(03:27):
day in that, valley that death trap would Give america
the hero that they needed at a moment when thousands
of their, brothers, sons and fathers were coming home in.
Coffins that hero would Be Alvin York and in the
weeks and months and years that, followed his story would
(03:48):
be polished and shined up till it became a myth
For Alvin. Yorke that myth would become a way to
do good in the. World it would also be a terrible.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Burden it's not your creed or you're, high not the
color of your eyes that makes An. American it's our
(04:22):
freedom and equality over The constitution and Our bill Of
rights that makes An. American an almighty fighting.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
That's Alvin york you're, hearing and descended from a long
line of. Fighters both his grandfathers had served The union
in The Civil. War keeping the country free ran in the.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Family once the man asked tasted that, freedom he'd rather
die fighting than to do without it for himself and his.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Children alvin grew up In Paul, mall a tiny mountain
hamlet right around where the Famous Davy crockett supposedly wrestled a,
bear many many miles from what anyone would consider an actual.
Town alvin's father was a, blacksmith and his mom raised eleven.
(05:11):
Kids they all lived in a little cabin that once
had been a. Corncrib school was only open a couple
of months a, year and Young alvin got the equivalent
of a second grade. Education When alvin was in his early,
twenties his father, died which Meant alvin was the head
of the. Family he didn't take it. Well according to his,
(05:33):
Granddaughter Deborah, york.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
He became kind of the bread, winner he often. Said
the pressures of that led him to drink and become
kind of a.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Hellion he, drank he, Gambled he thought anyone and everyone
he could. Find he, went as he put, it. Hogwild
as he later, said, QUOTE i kind of THOUGHT i
could whip the, world and more than once set out
to do. It he entered moonshine drinking, Contests he got
(06:03):
in a knife fight over a. Girl he shot at
things for no good. Reason when he got home from,
partying his, Mother mary would be sitting up waiting for,
him praying for his. Soul she pleaded with him to
get right with The, lord and On january, one nineteen,
fifteen he. Did he thought about all the sacrifices she
(06:26):
had made for, him and, then as he put, it,
QUOTE i gave up, smoking, drinking, cussing and brawling completely and.
Forever by all, accounts alvin salvation was a good. Thing his, timing,
however was terrible because at that very, Moment europe was
gripped with what would become known As World War one
(06:49):
And paul Mall as in much Of Rule, america people
didn't pay a lot of attention to conflict, overseas so
When alvin was drafted in nineteen, seventeen he was. Horrified
he later, said, QUOTE i never had killed, nobody even
in my bad. DAYS i didn't want to begin. Now
yet he was also deeply. Patriotic he was in conflict with,
(07:12):
himself and he often said it wasn't that he was
afraid to die for his. Country he didn't want to
kill for his. Country that was what he was grappling.
With alvin wrote to the draft board asking for release
from service as a conscientious. Objector his request was rejected,
once then, twice and then the third and final.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Time his church that he belonged to was too small
of a sect to be recognized by the, government so
they denied as conscientious objector.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Status so In november nineteen, Seventeen Alvin yorke reported for.
Duty he was six feet, tall tightly muscled from his years,
blacksmithing hunting and, fighting and pictures from this. Time he
has a full mustache and looks uncannily like the Actor Benedict. Cumberbatch,
(08:04):
handsome if a little intense around the. Eyes alvin joined
the three twenty Eighth, infantry eighty Second division THE Us.
Army they were known as The All American division for good,
reason at least to Hear alvin tell.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
It, See All American division was made up of boys.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
From all over the.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Country there were boys from the mountains like me and
boys from the small towns and. Cities there Were, Southerners New,
yorkers Middle, westerners as well as boys from the cow
country in The pacific. Coast and there were a man
whose folks had Been, Greek, Italian, Jewish, German, Polish, swedish AND.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
I three men stood out To alvin from the. Company
there Was Bernard, early an irishman and bartender who liked
to drink and fight in equal. Measure there Was OTIS. S,
merrithew twenty one years old in an orphan who had
gone under an assumed name to. Enlist alvin later described
those two as quote just about the hard boiled at
(09:10):
SOLDIERS i ever. Knew there Was Murray, savage another religious
man who Became alvin's closest. Friend, friendship though was pretty
hard For alvin to come. By the guys in company
g Knew alvin had tried and fell to be a conscientious,
objector and he was the subject of endless. Mockery it
(09:31):
made them doubt whether he'd even be any use to
his country on the. Battlefield how could they rely on
him to have their backs if he didn't even want
to shoot the? Enemy As merrithew put, it years later,
quote would he run and leave us? Exposed would he?
FIGHT i didn't, know and not knowing bothered. Me it
(09:52):
was clear that some of the men really didn't like
This bible, thumping slow Talking rube from Nowhere. Tennessee and
skepticism surely got To, alvin but his days of brawling
and fighting were, over at least where his fellow soldiers were.
Concerned The germans would be another thing. Entirely bombs fell
(10:30):
constantly as the men of the three twenty eighth marched
towards The Argonne forest in the northeast Of. France the
weather was rainy and, miserable but it was the noise
that got To alvin. Most the airplanes buzzing like hornets,
overhead the thunder of. Artillery the roads were blocked by
the corpses of horses and. Men it looked like a
(10:52):
cyclone had ripped through the. Woods alvin thought this must
be what armageddon is. Like by this, point in Early
october nineteen, Eighteen alvin had been in the army for
eleven months and In france for almost. Five two important
things happened in the. Meantime, First alvin had his Dark
(11:14):
night of the. Soul before his company left For, europe
he had been granted a ten day furlough to go
home and make peace with his role in the conflict to.
Come he went into the woods and. Prayed he believed
that quote no matter what a man is forced to,
do so long as he is right in his own,
soul he remains a righteous. Man, Ultimately alvin convinced himself
(11:39):
that he wasn't going To france to take. Lives they
were there to make, peace and that was something he
could live. With he returned to the. Army when he,
did the second important thing. Happened alvin's commanding officers discovered
that he was an incredibly good. Shot he'd been hunting
(12:01):
his whole, life and back, home bullets were, expensive so
if you were going to use, one it had to
hit its.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Mark for, him shooting with. Survival you didn't eat if
you didn't kill game and put food on the.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Table By, june he was put in charge of an
automatic rifle, squad and By september he was promoted to acting.
Corporal for a man who believed in that, commandment dal
shall not, kill it was a tense. Situation even though
he'd made his, peace he had a job to do.
(12:36):
Now he and the rest of his division were on
their way to what they hoped would be the decisive
battle of the. War part of the coordinated drive by The.
Allies stretching for hundreds of, miles The americans were attacking
between The Argonne forest and The Meuse. River it was
insanely difficult terrain filled with high heels and deep. Ravines
(12:59):
The germans had been in trench there for four, years
stringing barbed wire and building concrete machine gun. Nests the
area was important because it held key supply, lines in
particular The Dcoville. Railway as one of The american commanders put, it,
quote who wins the railway wins the, war and that's.
How in the wee hours of the morning Of october,
(13:21):
Eighth alvin found himself marching through wet and mucky roads
towards the village Of Chatel shaheri and a hill they
referred to As number two twenty, three setting out to
attack heavily defended territory that none of These americans had
ever seen. Before their commanders knew the casualty rate would
be painfully. High the climb Up hill two twenty three
(13:46):
was slippery and, treacherous and even in the pitch, dark
The germans saw them and began. Firing the underbrush of
the forest was filled with dead and Dying americans who
had tried and fell to advances over the previous. Days
alvin passed them as he crested the. Hill the moment dawn,
(14:07):
arrived the men Of COMPANY g would race down the
far slope into the fields. Below The germans had all
of the high. Ground The americans would be out in the,
open no trenches to protect, them enemy snipers and machine
guns ringing them on three. Sides there were more gunners
hidden in the knee high, grass a killing. Floor there
(14:31):
was meant to be a heavy barrage in advance of
the men to protect, them but at zero hour the
barrage didn't. Come the men would have to go forward without.
It they went over the top Of hill two twenty.
Three what awaited, Them alvin would later, say was quote
a death. TRAP a rain of bullets sliced through the
(14:55):
first wave Of, americans and then the second, lieutenant who
was Leading alvin's, company was shot in the. Leg he went,
down but just for a moment he stood again and
led the men. Forward then he was shot in the head.
Dead As alvin put a, quote we were cut down
like the long grass before the mowing machine at. Home
(15:19):
the men pressed themselves to the, ground hiding in shell,
holes trying to regroup and. Survive Sergeant Harry parsons assumed.
Command he called over At Bernard, early and above the
deafening noise of the, guns he laid out a. Plan,
frankly it sounded more like a suicide. Mission early would
(15:40):
take seventeen men and divide them into three, groups one
led By alvin's Friend Murray, savage one By Otis, merrithew
and one By. Alvin the idea was that each group
would creep up the hill to their left and come
behind the machine, guns catching them by. Surprise that, is of,
course if The americans weren't caught. First early led the men.
(16:04):
Forward the trees and brush on the hill provided a
screen from the sniper's. Bullets the seventeen men went, silently single,
file and soon enough they were behind The german. Line
the sounds of screaming men in the fields started to.
Recede they moved, cautiously following a footpath in the. Woods
(16:25):
then they started to hear the drum of machine gun
fire on the ridge above. Them, suddenly one of the
men called Out. Germans two enemy soldiers darted from a
hiding place in the. Brush The americans shouted at them to,
surrender and instead they. Ran the men took off after.
Them they chased them until after a moment the woods
(16:49):
opened up into a. Clearing a clearing filled With german.
Soldiers it was between eighty and Ninety, germans and they
were eating. Breakfast alvin later remembered loaves of bread and
steaks and jellies laid across the. Table they hadn't seen The.
Americans The german men were hanging out, smoking, preparing but
(17:13):
not yet ready for a day of. Battle fortunately for The,
americans they weren't close to their. Guns early told his
men to hide in the, brush and then he gave
the order to. Fire the small group Of americans caught
The germans totally by, surprise and now the enemy was
falling where they. Stood some of The germans surrendered, immediately
(17:37):
they assumed they were surrounded by a far superior. Force
others took off. Fronting early told his men to hold
fire and approached the officer to the. Group, fortunately The
germans spoke Enough english to Follow early's. Order line, up
you're being taken. Prisoner early In marrithew organized The germans
(18:00):
into lions and confiscated whatever weapons they. Had but The
germans saw. Something The americans missed a signal from the
machine gunners on top of the. Ridge suddenly all The
germans hit the, ground diving for, cover and a spray
of machine gun fire ripped through The. Americans early was
(18:21):
hitting the arm and sighed at least four. Times he
was down for the count but. Conscious marrithew was shot
multiple times in the left. Arm in, total three of
the Seventeen americans were wounded and six were, dead Including
alvin's dear Friend Murray. Savage he was shot nine, times
(18:45):
his uniform cut to. Shreds As alvin remembered, it, quote
thousands of bullets kicked up the dust all around. Us
the air was just plumb full of. Death some of
The americans survivors shot back at the machine guns on the.
Ridge others clustered around the, prisoners training their guns on.
(19:06):
Them for one, thing it gave them a measure of,
safety and for the, other if Those german prisoners decided
to fight, back The americans would be utterly, outnumbered and
they knew. It alvin was slightly ahead of the group
Of americans and, prisoners and when the machine gunners mowed
down his, friends he dropped to the. Ground he wasn't
(19:28):
focused on what the rest of the men were. Doing
all he cared about was clearing those machine gunners off
of that. Ridge he never wanted to, kill but it
was a stark. Choice. Now if he didn't shoot the,
enemy all of his friends would. Die he moved into
a better firing. Position he waited patiently for the enemy
(19:50):
shooters on the ridge to poke their heads. Up they
had to raise up to see their. Targets each time one,
Did alvin shot him with dead ag, or as he
later put, it touched them. Off he used to tell
the story to his son.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
And said they were spitting bullets all around me and,
Said i've touched them. Off when they stick their hand,
up he'd touch them all one.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
In, Time alvin remembered it this way, quote that's the
way we shoot wild turkeys at. Home you. See we
don't want the front ones to know we're getting the back,
ones and then they keep on coming until we get them.
All alvin remembers that as he, shot he was shouting
for The germans to. Surrender he, was he, said unwilling
(20:40):
to kill any more than he had. To, finally The
english Speaking german officer blew his, whistle a signal for
the troops to stop. Fighting not a hair On alvin's
head was. Harmed he saw it as a sign That
god was protecting. Him what remained of the group From
(21:00):
COMPANY g gathered The germans up into two, lines With
alvin at the. Lead they marched back to. Camp alvin
kept his pistol trained on the. Officer as they went
back to regimental. Headquarters they ran into More, germans and
they were added to the line of prisoners. Too the
Wounded americans were taken off to the. Hospital alvin kept
(21:22):
The germans. Marching as he entered a divisional prisoner. Camp
he was reportedly stopped by The Brigadier General Julian, lindsay
who said to, him, quote, well YORKE i hear you
captured the whole Damn german, army to Which alvin, responded
only one hundred and thirty Two all, told the action
(21:45):
had lasted half an hour at. Most that half hour
would define the rest Of alvin's. Life for his part in,
It Alvin yorke would be awarded The medal Of, honor
but he got something else, well a myth that he
would have to live up. To Alvin york continued fighting
(22:08):
with his regiment in the weeks that. Followed he even
got blown into the air by a mortar shell just
a few days. Later by the end of the, month
nearly thirty percent of the three to twenty Eighth infantry were.
Casualties but the Mews argun offensive was as successful as
The allies had, hoped and On november, eleventh the armistice was.
(22:30):
Signed by, Then alvin had been promoted to, sergeant and
On november thirtieth he received His Distinguished Service, cross the
army's second highest award for. Valor in those days and
weeks after the, Armistice alvin was asked to tell the
story of the heroic actions Of october eighth to wrap
(22:50):
audiences of other. Soldiers it was the chaplain of the
eighty Second, division who no doubt liked the religious, angle
who first Asked alvin to talk about all Those. Germans
the men needed something to inspire them in the aftermath
of so much. Cartnage it's unclear when the story became
(23:10):
entirely focused on What alvin did That october. Morning obviously
the other men From COMPANY g were there. Too early
led the ambush and surrender of the bulk of The.
Germans After early was, Shot merrithew insisted that he had
taken command and fired at The germans despite his wounded.
Arm the other survivors had kept the prisoners under guard
(23:35):
and fired back at the machine guns. Too alvin later stated,
QUOTE i hadn't time or a chance to look around
for the other. BOYS i didn't know what they were.
Doing but as the story was told and, retold the
actions of that day went from being an extraordinary group
effort to an almost miraculous tale of a single. Soldier
(23:59):
the hero of this, story of, course Was, alvin a
man devoted to peace and, kindness but whose shooting skills were.
Undeniable and, then on one incredible, morning the story, went
he jumped into. Action while his fellow soldiers were, wounded
unable to, shoot or hiding from the enemy, gunfire he
(24:20):
mercilessly picked off each of The german machine gunners one by,
one silencing more than thirty guns all on his own
he was a one man. Army it was less like
a war story and more like a, legend a lot
like the one THE usa liked to tell about its
own involvement in the. War, reluctant pe, sloven, ruthless and ultimately,
(24:46):
triumphant the commanding general of the eighty Second, Division George,
duncan started telling everyone The alvin only version of the.
Story it was picked up by a reporter from The
Saturday Evening, post a magazine with more than two million
readers back. Home soon, Enough duncan and another general in the,
(25:08):
division perhaps interested in a little reflected glory for, themselves
started pushing For alvin to receive The medal Of. Honor
it was investigated and approved. Quickly On april, eleventh nineteen,
Nineteen alvin was awarded the, medal and The alvin centric
version of events was cemented in military. History Did alvin
(25:33):
believe this version of the. Story, maybe after, all it
reflected his experience of a moment filled with panic and.
Trauma Did alvin go along with the one man army
story because he wanted to give his commanding officers what
they were clearly looking? For Maybe alvin wasn't, Stupid but
(25:56):
he wasn't sophisticated, either with the second grade education and
little experience of the wider. World and this official story
had to be fact checked in research in order for
him to receive The medal Of honor. Right other members
of his company had signed official statement supporting this. Narrative
who was he to argue against? That plus the accolades
(26:19):
kept rolling. In he went To paris for the founding
of The American. Legion it was safe to, say a
far cry From paul Maul.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Tennessee he saw, electricity he saw indoor. Plumbing he went
to all of the major attractions In, paris the, museums the,
cathedrals and. Universities he just tried to process what he
had been, through but also to realize how he wanted
life to be different when he came.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Home by the Time alvin was due to return to
THE us In may of that, Year americans had already
heard every detail of his story from The Saturday Evening
post and countless newspaper articles that. Followed alvin sailed For
New york on the Ss. Ohioan it pulled into doc
but from the, Ship alvin can see a huge throng
(27:09):
of people waiting on. Shore it was daunting and he
couldn't figure out why they were. There Here's alvin's, Grandson Gerald.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
Yorke when he came, back one of the guys asking
or you're not going to get off the, ship and he, said,
Well i'm waiting for the crowd to die, down and they, said,
well the crowd's here for.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
You we've seen this before with veterans returning From World War.
One Remember Henry johnson from last. Season news of his
exploits also arrived In america before he did. So not
only did he have to grapple with what actually happened
in the, war he had to deal with this new
found and not very welcome, fame whether he wanted to or.
(27:53):
Not he had to go to work keeping his legend
alive the second he set foot on home. Soil As
alvin made his way down the gang, plank he was
greeted by dignitaries from his home state Of. Tennessee there
were reporters and. Cameramen there was a ticker tape parade
through the streets Of New York, city lavish dinners at
(28:13):
The Waldorf Astoria, hotel a visit to The Stock, Exchange
alvin went from there To, washington where he got a
standing ovation In. Congress he was offered money to tell
his story my.
Speaker 7 (28:28):
Grandfather when he came back was offered about two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars in nineteen, nineteen money to endorse various,
things and he, SAID i did WHAT i had to
do to save my, comrade and so, no the uniform's
not for.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Sake making money off of killing people felt wrong To,
alvin and he didn't want a life on the. Road
he wanted to go, home but the newsreels followed him there.
Too iza in this.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Church Sergeant york was a conscientious objector during the early
stages Of World War, one but when he got into,
action he killed twenty Five german single handed and captured
one hundred and thirty, two including a major in three,
lieutenants and is credited with putting thirty five enemy machine
guns out of.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
Action there's that legend of the one man army again numbing.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
Backwoods about this backwoods, Boy america's number One World War one.
Hero this Is Sergeant.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
York alvin was offered a four hundred acre farm with
The Nashville Rotary club covering the down. Payment it was
meant to be a gift from the grateful state Of,
tennessee Though alvin would end up on the hook for
most of. It he married his, Sweetheart gracie and front
(29:51):
of thousands of well, wishers presided over by The governor Of.
Tennessee but once the crowd of gawkers and fans, Disappeared
alvin saw his beloved hometown through changed. Eyes it was
being left behind by the, world so he used his
influence to get the State Highway department to build an
actual road through the. Hills they. Did today it's still
(30:15):
called The alvin. C York. Highway and most of, all
he pushed to educate the local.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Children he went around giving speeches to, say, look these
mountain children deserve a, chance and they are economically, disadvantaged geographically,
isolated and they need opportunities like All americans.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Have he built The York. Institute by nineteen twenty, eight
it was serving more than seven hundred.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Students and it was actually a full time school before
education was mandatory in the, state and it still run
to this.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Day alvin's fame on the battlefield had allowed him to do,
Good it also caused resentment among some of them and
who had been there that Famous october. Morning around the
ten year, anniversary a few of the other members Of COMPANY,
g most Notably Bernard early And Otis, merrithew began speaking
(31:13):
to the, press telling a fuller version of the, story
asking Why alvin hogged the glory for. Himself alvin's answer
was what it had always. Been he loved and respected
the men of his. Company Both early And merrithew were undeniably,
brave and he still had no idea what anyone other
(31:35):
than him had done that. Day as he, wrote, quote
there were others in that fight besides. Me i'm telling
you that they're entitled to a whole heap of. Credit
it isn't for, me of, course to decide how much
credit they should, Get but just the, same those boys were.
Heroes in, fact five of the surviving members Of COMPANY
(31:57):
g had already Received Silver stars for their bravery shortly
after the war, ended But Bernard, early who led the
charge until he was, shot was not one of. Them,
finally in nineteen twenty, nine after some undeniable foot dragging
from the, Military early received A Distinguished Service. Cross more
(32:20):
than a decade after the action and The Argon Forest
by that, time the weight of the one Man army
legend had caught up To. Alvin he was overextended and
chronically plagued by. Debt he owed thousands of dollars on
the farm he'd been. Gifted he wasn't good with, finances and,
(32:41):
anyway his church preached against material. Goods he mortgaged the
farm to help pay for a fleet of school. Buses
he faced, foreclosure then. Bankruptcy he kept slipping further underwater.
Financially his fame had allowed him to give, back but
giving back was taking almost everything he. Had in nineteen,
(33:22):
Forty alvin was approached with an offer to cash in
on his waning celebrity by selling the movie rights to his.
Story the timing was. Perfect not only was he, broke
but he was desperate to achieve one of his, dreams
building A bible school in his. Community he, also at
that point had seven, kids most of whom had sort
(33:45):
of hilariously patriotic. Names Betsy Ross, York Woodrow, Wilson. York
you get the. Idea here's his, Son Andrew, Jackson.
Speaker 5 (33:55):
York he decided to want to build A bible, school
which is about a high from long from. Here to
building it on his low home place where he was,
born and the movie came he finally agraded to let
him do it if they would agree to his.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Terms the movie would be Called Sergeant york and it
was produced By Warner, brothers the film studio run By
polish born Brothers jack And Harry. Warner The warners Were
jewish and horrified by the rise of The nazis In.
Germany they saw the movie as a way to Remind
americans of the importance of fighting for freedom. Everywhere and
(34:32):
that's when some of the controversy Around alvin's legend was
stirred up once. Again Otis merrithew wrote to the, studio
promising bad publicity if his heroism wasn't portrayed as equal To,
alvin's but the film went on as. Planned after, all
the movie wasn't Really alvin's, Story it Was, hollywood's with
(34:54):
invented scenes and composite, characters And alvin played By Gary
cooper in a performance that would win him An.
Speaker 8 (35:02):
Oscar you, SEE i believe in The, bible And i'm
believing that this year life we're living there is something
The lord doesn't give, us and we got to be
a living at the best we, can And i'm figuring
that killing other folks ain't no part of what he
(35:22):
was intending for us to be a doing.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Here the film was a blockbuster head when it was
released in the fall of nineteen forty. One it worked
just as, planned a heartwarming piece of propaganda for a
country that would soon find itself at. War it even
helped fuel. Enlistments but once, again it all came at
(35:45):
a big cost To. Alvin he was in the news.
Again in one radio, interview he, said, quote ALTHOUGH i
was credited with wiping out the whole battalion of thirty
five machine, GUNS i was only one of seven who
did the. JOB i want the whole world to know
that without their cool, courage none of us would be alive.
(36:07):
Today but let's be. Honest people don't love a complicated.
Story they prefer a. Legend he couldn't stop it any
more than he could have stood in that clearan in
the forest and refused to return. Fire evin believed that
THE us was right to fight against. Fascism in, fact
(36:29):
he tried to.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
Enlist he was too fat and too, old too out of,
shape but they made him an honorary colonel and let
him go across the country selling war bonds and actually
giving speeches to increase morale for the. Troops going back.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
Across he traveled the country supporting the war effort and
raising money for The Red. Cross he didn't ask for
or receive any, payment and for the second time in his,
life he tried to reconcile his love of The bible
with his. Patriotism it's not.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
An easy thing for a man to make up his
mind to go to.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
War this is really, him Not Gary cooper playing him the,
man not the.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
MYTH i, well remember the doubt and CONFUSION i felt
about going to the last.
Speaker 7 (37:17):
One for war means.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
More than, uniforms marching and band. Music it means facing
death and. Suffering and what's almost, worse it means carrying
death and suffering to. Others thou shalt not kill is
written in The. Bible here In, america we've always tried
to follow that. Commandment our enemies have denied us the
(37:43):
right to follow.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
It his financial situation was in, shambles but his north
star remained, steady focused on serving the people of his
little mountain. Community he was.
Speaker 7 (37:57):
Asked later in, life what do you want to be
remembered your actions In france being awarded The medal Of,
honor meeting the, president and he, SAID i want my
legacy to be THAT i brought education to Rural.
Speaker 1 (38:11):
Tennessee how do you live with an idealized version of
yourself that you didn't have a hand in. Creating Perhaps
alvin understood his myth for what it, was something that
didn't belong to, him, really something, bigger more, abstract created
(38:34):
for public. Consumption there were good things about. It just
go To Paul, Mall tennessee for proof of. That it
inspired Countless americans to go back To, europe this time
to fight The. Nazis it gave comfort to grieving families
in the wake Of World War, one a shining example
of the fact that our men did great things on the.
(38:55):
Battlefield it was a life's work to sustain, myth and
it had its. Cost but just like with his military,
Service alvin was clear eyed about the trade offs and
willing to make. Them alvin passed away in nineteen sixty
four at the age of seventy six after a long.
(39:17):
Illness Otis merrithew finally received A Silver star in nineteen sixty,
five a year After alvin's. Death at his, ceremony he
admitted That alvin was quote a. Hero what precisely happened
on that battlefield in nineteen eighteen is something we'll never
(39:39):
know for. Sure one thing is. Certain Alvin yorke fought
valiantly for his. Country he fought for the people of his.
Community he fought in the way his faith had taught
him to for.
Speaker 4 (39:54):
Peace someday peace will return to the.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
World four pieces. One all of us must, work confined
to our last down S.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
Strength medal Of. Honor stories Of courage is written By
(40:33):
Meredith rollins and produced By Meredith, Rollins Jess, shane And Suzanne.
Gabber our editor Is Ben Nadav. Huffrey sound design and
additional music By Jake. Gorsky our executive producer Is Constanza.
Gallardo fact checking By Arthur. Gomperts original music By Eric.
Phillips special thanks to The Congressional medal Of Honor, Society
(40:54):
Tennessee State. Parks Thomas, wilmer host of the radio Show
journeys Of discovery With Tom wilmer AND, kcbx the public
radio station Servicing San DUIs, Obispo. California if you want
to learn more about this, story take a look at
our show, notes where we have some of the resources
we use to put together this. Episode we also want
(41:15):
to hear from, you so send us your personal story
of courage or highlight someone else's. Bravery email us At
metal Of honor At pushkin DOT. Fm i'm your, HOST.
Jr martinez
Pushkin. At three in the morning and the pitch dark
and drizzling rain, the men were told that it was
time to march. It was October eighth, nineteen eighteen. Company
G of the three to twenty eighth Infantry of the
US Army had been in France for almost five months,
(00:30):
sleeping in wet and dirty trenches, enduring German bombardments that
rattled their bones and made their ears ring, strapping on
masks to save themselves from the suffocating and burning and
blinding mustard gas, watching as their comrades got picked off
by sniper fire. And now in the blackest part of
(00:51):
the night, Company G was on the move. They marched
past bombed out towns and trees that had been burned
to stubbs. The road was amazing, trucks and horses slippery
and almost impossible to navigate. Their wet boots hit the
puddled roads, and a kind of drum beat, the clump
of horseshoes keeping time, the boom and flash of German
(01:14):
artillery shells serving as terrifying punctuation. Deep in the mass
of men was Private Alvin York. He had come to
France from a tiny rural town in Tennessee, leaving the
county of his birth for the very first time at
the age of twenty nine. Now he was here wrestling
(01:37):
with the fact that he was being sent into a
terrible battle, one that would see certain death for some,
if not most, of his company. He was wrestling with
something else as well. He was a man of intense faith.
He had committed himself to the service of God and
the Bible. He believed wholeheartedly and one of the main
(01:58):
tenants of Christianity, Thou shalt not kill. Sniper bullets zip
past the muddy and exhausted men as they finally reached
their destination, a hill near the French town of Chatel Jahari.
On the far side of the hill an entrenched German force,
(02:19):
weighted with machine guns pointed at the fields below. When
they reached the top of the hill, the men of
Company G were told at six' ten a. M zero,
hour you'll go over the top down to those fields
into the sights of those Waiting german. Guns at zero,
hour the men fixed their bayonets and they went over
(02:42):
the hill into the. Shooting I'm. Jr, martinez and this
is medal of. Honor stories of, courage The medal Of
honor is the highest military decoration in The United, states
awarded for gallantry and bravery and combat at the risk of,
life above and beyond the call of. Duty each candidate
(03:06):
must be approved all the way up the chain of,
command from the supervisory officer in the field to The White.
House this show is about those, heroes what they, did
what it, meant and what their stories tell us about
the nature of courage and. Sacrifice what happened on That october,
(03:27):
day in that, valley that death trap would Give america
the hero that they needed at a moment when thousands
of their, brothers, sons and fathers were coming home in.
Coffins that hero would Be Alvin York and in the
weeks and months and years that, followed his story would
(03:48):
be polished and shined up till it became a myth
For Alvin. Yorke that myth would become a way to
do good in the. World it would also be a terrible.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Burden it's not your creed or you're, high not the
color of your eyes that makes An. American it's our
(04:22):
freedom and equality over The constitution and Our bill Of
rights that makes An. American an almighty fighting.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
That's Alvin york you're, hearing and descended from a long
line of. Fighters both his grandfathers had served The union
in The Civil. War keeping the country free ran in the.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Family once the man asked tasted that, freedom he'd rather
die fighting than to do without it for himself and his.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Children alvin grew up In Paul, mall a tiny mountain
hamlet right around where the Famous Davy crockett supposedly wrestled a,
bear many many miles from what anyone would consider an actual.
Town alvin's father was a, blacksmith and his mom raised eleven.
(05:11):
Kids they all lived in a little cabin that once
had been a. Corncrib school was only open a couple
of months a, year and Young alvin got the equivalent
of a second grade. Education When alvin was in his early,
twenties his father, died which Meant alvin was the head
of the. Family he didn't take it. Well according to his,
(05:33):
Granddaughter Deborah, york.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
He became kind of the bread, winner he often. Said
the pressures of that led him to drink and become
kind of a.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Hellion he, drank he, Gambled he thought anyone and everyone
he could. Find he, went as he put, it. Hogwild
as he later, said, QUOTE i kind of THOUGHT i
could whip the, world and more than once set out
to do. It he entered moonshine drinking, Contests he got
(06:03):
in a knife fight over a. Girl he shot at
things for no good. Reason when he got home from,
partying his, Mother mary would be sitting up waiting for,
him praying for his. Soul she pleaded with him to
get right with The, lord and On january, one nineteen,
fifteen he. Did he thought about all the sacrifices she
(06:26):
had made for, him and, then as he put, it,
QUOTE i gave up, smoking, drinking, cussing and brawling completely and.
Forever by all, accounts alvin salvation was a good. Thing his, timing,
however was terrible because at that very, Moment europe was
gripped with what would become known As World War one
(06:49):
And paul Mall as in much Of Rule, america people
didn't pay a lot of attention to conflict, overseas so
When alvin was drafted in nineteen, seventeen he was. Horrified
he later, said, QUOTE i never had killed, nobody even
in my bad. DAYS i didn't want to begin. Now
yet he was also deeply. Patriotic he was in conflict with,
(07:12):
himself and he often said it wasn't that he was
afraid to die for his. Country he didn't want to
kill for his. Country that was what he was grappling.
With alvin wrote to the draft board asking for release
from service as a conscientious. Objector his request was rejected,
once then, twice and then the third and final.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Time his church that he belonged to was too small
of a sect to be recognized by the, government so
they denied as conscientious objector.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Status so In november nineteen, Seventeen Alvin yorke reported for.
Duty he was six feet, tall tightly muscled from his years,
blacksmithing hunting and, fighting and pictures from this. Time he
has a full mustache and looks uncannily like the Actor Benedict. Cumberbatch,
(08:04):
handsome if a little intense around the. Eyes alvin joined
the three twenty Eighth, infantry eighty Second division THE Us.
Army they were known as The All American division for good,
reason at least to Hear alvin tell.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
It, See All American division was made up of boys.
Speaker 4 (08:21):
From all over the.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Country there were boys from the mountains like me and
boys from the small towns and. Cities there Were, Southerners New,
yorkers Middle, westerners as well as boys from the cow
country in The pacific. Coast and there were a man
whose folks had Been, Greek, Italian, Jewish, German, Polish, swedish AND.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
I three men stood out To alvin from the. Company
there Was Bernard, early an irishman and bartender who liked
to drink and fight in equal. Measure there Was OTIS. S,
merrithew twenty one years old in an orphan who had
gone under an assumed name to. Enlist alvin later described
those two as quote just about the hard boiled at
(09:10):
SOLDIERS i ever. Knew there Was Murray, savage another religious
man who Became alvin's closest. Friend, friendship though was pretty
hard For alvin to come. By the guys in company
g Knew alvin had tried and fell to be a conscientious,
objector and he was the subject of endless. Mockery it
(09:31):
made them doubt whether he'd even be any use to
his country on the. Battlefield how could they rely on
him to have their backs if he didn't even want
to shoot the? Enemy As merrithew put, it years later,
quote would he run and leave us? Exposed would he?
FIGHT i didn't, know and not knowing bothered. Me it
(09:52):
was clear that some of the men really didn't like
This bible, thumping slow Talking rube from Nowhere. Tennessee and
skepticism surely got To, alvin but his days of brawling
and fighting were, over at least where his fellow soldiers were.
Concerned The germans would be another thing. Entirely bombs fell
(10:30):
constantly as the men of the three twenty eighth marched
towards The Argonne forest in the northeast Of. France the
weather was rainy and, miserable but it was the noise
that got To alvin. Most the airplanes buzzing like hornets,
overhead the thunder of. Artillery the roads were blocked by
the corpses of horses and. Men it looked like a
(10:52):
cyclone had ripped through the. Woods alvin thought this must
be what armageddon is. Like by this, point in Early
october nineteen, Eighteen alvin had been in the army for
eleven months and In france for almost. Five two important
things happened in the. Meantime, First alvin had his Dark
(11:14):
night of the. Soul before his company left For, europe
he had been granted a ten day furlough to go
home and make peace with his role in the conflict to.
Come he went into the woods and. Prayed he believed
that quote no matter what a man is forced to,
do so long as he is right in his own,
soul he remains a righteous. Man, Ultimately alvin convinced himself
(11:39):
that he wasn't going To france to take. Lives they
were there to make, peace and that was something he
could live. With he returned to the. Army when he,
did the second important thing. Happened alvin's commanding officers discovered
that he was an incredibly good. Shot he'd been hunting
(12:01):
his whole, life and back, home bullets were, expensive so
if you were going to use, one it had to
hit its.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Mark for, him shooting with. Survival you didn't eat if
you didn't kill game and put food on the.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Table By, june he was put in charge of an
automatic rifle, squad and By september he was promoted to acting.
Corporal for a man who believed in that, commandment dal
shall not, kill it was a tense. Situation even though
he'd made his, peace he had a job to do.
(12:36):
Now he and the rest of his division were on
their way to what they hoped would be the decisive
battle of the. War part of the coordinated drive by The.
Allies stretching for hundreds of, miles The americans were attacking
between The Argonne forest and The Meuse. River it was
insanely difficult terrain filled with high heels and deep. Ravines
(12:59):
The germans had been in trench there for four, years
stringing barbed wire and building concrete machine gun. Nests the
area was important because it held key supply, lines in
particular The Dcoville. Railway as one of The american commanders put, it,
quote who wins the railway wins the, war and that's.
How in the wee hours of the morning Of october,
(13:21):
Eighth alvin found himself marching through wet and mucky roads
towards the village Of Chatel shaheri and a hill they
referred to As number two twenty, three setting out to
attack heavily defended territory that none of These americans had
ever seen. Before their commanders knew the casualty rate would
be painfully. High the climb Up hill two twenty three
(13:46):
was slippery and, treacherous and even in the pitch, dark
The germans saw them and began. Firing the underbrush of
the forest was filled with dead and Dying americans who
had tried and fell to advances over the previous. Days
alvin passed them as he crested the. Hill the moment dawn,
(14:07):
arrived the men Of COMPANY g would race down the
far slope into the fields. Below The germans had all
of the high. Ground The americans would be out in the,
open no trenches to protect, them enemy snipers and machine
guns ringing them on three. Sides there were more gunners
hidden in the knee high, grass a killing. Floor there
(14:31):
was meant to be a heavy barrage in advance of
the men to protect, them but at zero hour the
barrage didn't. Come the men would have to go forward without.
It they went over the top Of hill two twenty.
Three what awaited, Them alvin would later, say was quote
a death. TRAP a rain of bullets sliced through the
(14:55):
first wave Of, americans and then the second, lieutenant who
was Leading alvin's, company was shot in the. Leg he went,
down but just for a moment he stood again and
led the men. Forward then he was shot in the head.
Dead As alvin put a, quote we were cut down
like the long grass before the mowing machine at. Home
(15:19):
the men pressed themselves to the, ground hiding in shell,
holes trying to regroup and. Survive Sergeant Harry parsons assumed.
Command he called over At Bernard, early and above the
deafening noise of the, guns he laid out a. Plan,
frankly it sounded more like a suicide. Mission early would
(15:40):
take seventeen men and divide them into three, groups one
led By alvin's Friend Murray, savage one By Otis, merrithew
and one By. Alvin the idea was that each group
would creep up the hill to their left and come
behind the machine, guns catching them by. Surprise that, is of,
course if The americans weren't caught. First early led the men.
(16:04):
Forward the trees and brush on the hill provided a
screen from the sniper's. Bullets the seventeen men went, silently single,
file and soon enough they were behind The german. Line
the sounds of screaming men in the fields started to.
Recede they moved, cautiously following a footpath in the. Woods
(16:25):
then they started to hear the drum of machine gun
fire on the ridge above. Them, suddenly one of the
men called Out. Germans two enemy soldiers darted from a
hiding place in the. Brush The americans shouted at them to,
surrender and instead they. Ran the men took off after.
Them they chased them until after a moment the woods
(16:49):
opened up into a. Clearing a clearing filled With german.
Soldiers it was between eighty and Ninety, germans and they
were eating. Breakfast alvin later remembered loaves of bread and
steaks and jellies laid across the. Table they hadn't seen The.
Americans The german men were hanging out, smoking, preparing but
(17:13):
not yet ready for a day of. Battle fortunately for The,
americans they weren't close to their. Guns early told his
men to hide in the, brush and then he gave
the order to. Fire the small group Of americans caught
The germans totally by, surprise and now the enemy was
falling where they. Stood some of The germans surrendered, immediately
(17:37):
they assumed they were surrounded by a far superior. Force
others took off. Fronting early told his men to hold
fire and approached the officer to the. Group, fortunately The
germans spoke Enough english to Follow early's. Order line, up
you're being taken. Prisoner early In marrithew organized The germans
(18:00):
into lions and confiscated whatever weapons they. Had but The
germans saw. Something The americans missed a signal from the
machine gunners on top of the. Ridge suddenly all The
germans hit the, ground diving for, cover and a spray
of machine gun fire ripped through The. Americans early was
(18:21):
hitting the arm and sighed at least four. Times he
was down for the count but. Conscious marrithew was shot
multiple times in the left. Arm in, total three of
the Seventeen americans were wounded and six were, dead Including
alvin's dear Friend Murray. Savage he was shot nine, times
(18:45):
his uniform cut to. Shreds As alvin remembered, it, quote
thousands of bullets kicked up the dust all around. Us
the air was just plumb full of. Death some of
The americans survivors shot back at the machine guns on the.
Ridge others clustered around the, prisoners training their guns on.
(19:06):
Them for one, thing it gave them a measure of,
safety and for the, other if Those german prisoners decided
to fight, back The americans would be utterly, outnumbered and
they knew. It alvin was slightly ahead of the group
Of americans and, prisoners and when the machine gunners mowed
down his, friends he dropped to the. Ground he wasn't
(19:28):
focused on what the rest of the men were. Doing
all he cared about was clearing those machine gunners off
of that. Ridge he never wanted to, kill but it
was a stark. Choice. Now if he didn't shoot the,
enemy all of his friends would. Die he moved into
a better firing. Position he waited patiently for the enemy
(19:50):
shooters on the ridge to poke their heads. Up they
had to raise up to see their. Targets each time one,
Did alvin shot him with dead ag, or as he
later put, it touched them. Off he used to tell
the story to his son.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
And said they were spitting bullets all around me and,
Said i've touched them. Off when they stick their hand,
up he'd touch them all one.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
In, Time alvin remembered it this way, quote that's the
way we shoot wild turkeys at. Home you. See we
don't want the front ones to know we're getting the back,
ones and then they keep on coming until we get them.
All alvin remembers that as he, shot he was shouting
for The germans to. Surrender he, was he, said unwilling
(20:40):
to kill any more than he had. To, finally The
english Speaking german officer blew his, whistle a signal for
the troops to stop. Fighting not a hair On alvin's
head was. Harmed he saw it as a sign That
god was protecting. Him what remained of the group From
(21:00):
COMPANY g gathered The germans up into two, lines With
alvin at the. Lead they marched back to. Camp alvin
kept his pistol trained on the. Officer as they went
back to regimental. Headquarters they ran into More, germans and
they were added to the line of prisoners. Too the
Wounded americans were taken off to the. Hospital alvin kept
(21:22):
The germans. Marching as he entered a divisional prisoner. Camp
he was reportedly stopped by The Brigadier General Julian, lindsay
who said to, him, quote, well YORKE i hear you
captured the whole Damn german, army to Which alvin, responded
only one hundred and thirty Two all, told the action
(21:45):
had lasted half an hour at. Most that half hour
would define the rest Of alvin's. Life for his part in,
It Alvin yorke would be awarded The medal Of, honor
but he got something else, well a myth that he
would have to live up. To Alvin york continued fighting
(22:08):
with his regiment in the weeks that. Followed he even
got blown into the air by a mortar shell just
a few days. Later by the end of the, month
nearly thirty percent of the three to twenty Eighth infantry were.
Casualties but the Mews argun offensive was as successful as
The allies had, hoped and On november, eleventh the armistice was.
(22:30):
Signed by, Then alvin had been promoted to, sergeant and
On november thirtieth he received His Distinguished Service, cross the
army's second highest award for. Valor in those days and
weeks after the, Armistice alvin was asked to tell the
story of the heroic actions Of october eighth to wrap
(22:50):
audiences of other. Soldiers it was the chaplain of the
eighty Second, division who no doubt liked the religious, angle
who first Asked alvin to talk about all Those. Germans
the men needed something to inspire them in the aftermath
of so much. Cartnage it's unclear when the story became
(23:10):
entirely focused on What alvin did That october. Morning obviously
the other men From COMPANY g were there. Too early
led the ambush and surrender of the bulk of The.
Germans After early was, Shot merrithew insisted that he had
taken command and fired at The germans despite his wounded.
Arm the other survivors had kept the prisoners under guard
(23:35):
and fired back at the machine guns. Too alvin later stated,
QUOTE i hadn't time or a chance to look around
for the other. BOYS i didn't know what they were.
Doing but as the story was told and, retold the
actions of that day went from being an extraordinary group
effort to an almost miraculous tale of a single. Soldier
(23:59):
the hero of this, story of, course Was, alvin a
man devoted to peace and, kindness but whose shooting skills were.
Undeniable and, then on one incredible, morning the story, went
he jumped into. Action while his fellow soldiers were, wounded
unable to, shoot or hiding from the enemy, gunfire he
(24:20):
mercilessly picked off each of The german machine gunners one by,
one silencing more than thirty guns all on his own
he was a one man. Army it was less like
a war story and more like a, legend a lot
like the one THE usa liked to tell about its
own involvement in the. War, reluctant pe, sloven, ruthless and ultimately,
(24:46):
triumphant the commanding general of the eighty Second, Division George,
duncan started telling everyone The alvin only version of the.
Story it was picked up by a reporter from The
Saturday Evening, post a magazine with more than two million
readers back. Home soon, Enough duncan and another general in the,
(25:08):
division perhaps interested in a little reflected glory for, themselves
started pushing For alvin to receive The medal Of. Honor
it was investigated and approved. Quickly On april, eleventh nineteen,
Nineteen alvin was awarded the, medal and The alvin centric
version of events was cemented in military. History Did alvin
(25:33):
believe this version of the. Story, maybe after, all it
reflected his experience of a moment filled with panic and.
Trauma Did alvin go along with the one man army
story because he wanted to give his commanding officers what
they were clearly looking? For Maybe alvin wasn't, Stupid but
(25:56):
he wasn't sophisticated, either with the second grade education and
little experience of the wider. World and this official story
had to be fact checked in research in order for
him to receive The medal Of honor. Right other members
of his company had signed official statement supporting this. Narrative
who was he to argue against? That plus the accolades
(26:19):
kept rolling. In he went To paris for the founding
of The American. Legion it was safe to, say a
far cry From paul Maul.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
Tennessee he saw, electricity he saw indoor. Plumbing he went
to all of the major attractions In, paris the, museums the,
cathedrals and. Universities he just tried to process what he
had been, through but also to realize how he wanted
life to be different when he came.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
Home by the Time alvin was due to return to
THE us In may of that, Year americans had already
heard every detail of his story from The Saturday Evening
post and countless newspaper articles that. Followed alvin sailed For
New york on the Ss. Ohioan it pulled into doc
but from the, Ship alvin can see a huge throng
(27:09):
of people waiting on. Shore it was daunting and he
couldn't figure out why they were. There Here's alvin's, Grandson Gerald.
Speaker 6 (27:18):
Yorke when he came, back one of the guys asking
or you're not going to get off the, ship and he, said,
Well i'm waiting for the crowd to die, down and they, said,
well the crowd's here for.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
You we've seen this before with veterans returning From World War.
One Remember Henry johnson from last. Season news of his
exploits also arrived In america before he did. So not
only did he have to grapple with what actually happened
in the, war he had to deal with this new
found and not very welcome, fame whether he wanted to or.
(27:53):
Not he had to go to work keeping his legend
alive the second he set foot on home. Soil As
alvin made his way down the gang, plank he was
greeted by dignitaries from his home state Of. Tennessee there
were reporters and. Cameramen there was a ticker tape parade
through the streets Of New York, city lavish dinners at
(28:13):
The Waldorf Astoria, hotel a visit to The Stock, Exchange
alvin went from there To, washington where he got a
standing ovation In. Congress he was offered money to tell
his story my.
Speaker 7 (28:28):
Grandfather when he came back was offered about two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars in nineteen, nineteen money to endorse various,
things and he, SAID i did WHAT i had to
do to save my, comrade and so, no the uniform's
not for.
Speaker 1 (28:44):
Sake making money off of killing people felt wrong To,
alvin and he didn't want a life on the. Road
he wanted to go, home but the newsreels followed him there.
Too iza in this.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Church Sergeant york was a conscientious objector during the early
stages Of World War, one but when he got into,
action he killed twenty Five german single handed and captured
one hundred and thirty, two including a major in three,
lieutenants and is credited with putting thirty five enemy machine
guns out of.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
Action there's that legend of the one man army again numbing.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
Backwoods about this backwoods, Boy america's number One World War one.
Hero this Is Sergeant.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
York alvin was offered a four hundred acre farm with
The Nashville Rotary club covering the down. Payment it was
meant to be a gift from the grateful state Of,
tennessee Though alvin would end up on the hook for
most of. It he married his, Sweetheart gracie and front
(29:51):
of thousands of well, wishers presided over by The governor Of.
Tennessee but once the crowd of gawkers and fans, Disappeared
alvin saw his beloved hometown through changed. Eyes it was
being left behind by the, world so he used his
influence to get the State Highway department to build an
actual road through the. Hills they. Did today it's still
(30:15):
called The alvin. C York. Highway and most of, all
he pushed to educate the local.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Children he went around giving speeches to, say, look these
mountain children deserve a, chance and they are economically, disadvantaged geographically,
isolated and they need opportunities like All americans.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
Have he built The York. Institute by nineteen twenty, eight
it was serving more than seven hundred.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Students and it was actually a full time school before
education was mandatory in the, state and it still run
to this.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Day alvin's fame on the battlefield had allowed him to do,
Good it also caused resentment among some of them and
who had been there that Famous october. Morning around the
ten year, anniversary a few of the other members Of COMPANY,
g most Notably Bernard early And Otis, merrithew began speaking
(31:13):
to the, press telling a fuller version of the, story
asking Why alvin hogged the glory for. Himself alvin's answer
was what it had always. Been he loved and respected
the men of his. Company Both early And merrithew were undeniably,
brave and he still had no idea what anyone other
(31:35):
than him had done that. Day as he, wrote, quote
there were others in that fight besides. Me i'm telling
you that they're entitled to a whole heap of. Credit
it isn't for, me of, course to decide how much
credit they should, Get but just the, same those boys were.
Heroes in, fact five of the surviving members Of COMPANY
(31:57):
g had already Received Silver stars for their bravery shortly
after the war, ended But Bernard, early who led the
charge until he was, shot was not one of. Them,
finally in nineteen twenty, nine after some undeniable foot dragging
from the, Military early received A Distinguished Service. Cross more
(32:20):
than a decade after the action and The Argon Forest
by that, time the weight of the one Man army
legend had caught up To. Alvin he was overextended and
chronically plagued by. Debt he owed thousands of dollars on
the farm he'd been. Gifted he wasn't good with, finances and,
(32:41):
anyway his church preached against material. Goods he mortgaged the
farm to help pay for a fleet of school. Buses
he faced, foreclosure then. Bankruptcy he kept slipping further underwater.
Financially his fame had allowed him to give, back but
giving back was taking almost everything he. Had in nineteen,
(33:22):
Forty alvin was approached with an offer to cash in
on his waning celebrity by selling the movie rights to his.
Story the timing was. Perfect not only was he, broke
but he was desperate to achieve one of his, dreams
building A bible school in his. Community he, also at
that point had seven, kids most of whom had sort
(33:45):
of hilariously patriotic. Names Betsy Ross, York Woodrow, Wilson. York
you get the. Idea here's his, Son Andrew, Jackson.
Speaker 5 (33:55):
York he decided to want to build A bible, school
which is about a high from long from. Here to
building it on his low home place where he was,
born and the movie came he finally agraded to let
him do it if they would agree to his.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
Terms the movie would be Called Sergeant york and it
was produced By Warner, brothers the film studio run By
polish born Brothers jack And Harry. Warner The warners Were
jewish and horrified by the rise of The nazis In.
Germany they saw the movie as a way to Remind
americans of the importance of fighting for freedom. Everywhere and
(34:32):
that's when some of the controversy Around alvin's legend was
stirred up once. Again Otis merrithew wrote to the, studio
promising bad publicity if his heroism wasn't portrayed as equal To,
alvin's but the film went on as. Planned after, all
the movie wasn't Really alvin's, Story it Was, hollywood's with
(34:54):
invented scenes and composite, characters And alvin played By Gary
cooper in a performance that would win him An.
Speaker 8 (35:02):
Oscar you, SEE i believe in The, bible And i'm
believing that this year life we're living there is something
The lord doesn't give, us and we got to be
a living at the best we, can And i'm figuring
that killing other folks ain't no part of what he
(35:22):
was intending for us to be a doing.
Speaker 1 (35:24):
Here the film was a blockbuster head when it was
released in the fall of nineteen forty. One it worked
just as, planned a heartwarming piece of propaganda for a
country that would soon find itself at. War it even
helped fuel. Enlistments but once, again it all came at
(35:45):
a big cost To. Alvin he was in the news.
Again in one radio, interview he, said, quote ALTHOUGH i
was credited with wiping out the whole battalion of thirty
five machine, GUNS i was only one of seven who
did the. JOB i want the whole world to know
that without their cool, courage none of us would be alive.
(36:07):
Today but let's be. Honest people don't love a complicated.
Story they prefer a. Legend he couldn't stop it any
more than he could have stood in that clearan in
the forest and refused to return. Fire evin believed that
THE us was right to fight against. Fascism in, fact
(36:29):
he tried to.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
Enlist he was too fat and too, old too out of,
shape but they made him an honorary colonel and let
him go across the country selling war bonds and actually
giving speeches to increase morale for the. Troops going back.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
Across he traveled the country supporting the war effort and
raising money for The Red. Cross he didn't ask for
or receive any, payment and for the second time in his,
life he tried to reconcile his love of The bible
with his. Patriotism it's not.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
An easy thing for a man to make up his
mind to go to.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
War this is really, him Not Gary cooper playing him the,
man not the.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
MYTH i, well remember the doubt and CONFUSION i felt
about going to the last.
Speaker 7 (37:17):
One for war means.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
More than, uniforms marching and band. Music it means facing
death and. Suffering and what's almost, worse it means carrying
death and suffering to. Others thou shalt not kill is
written in The. Bible here In, america we've always tried
to follow that. Commandment our enemies have denied us the
(37:43):
right to follow.
Speaker 1 (37:44):
It his financial situation was in, shambles but his north
star remained, steady focused on serving the people of his
little mountain. Community he was.
Speaker 7 (37:57):
Asked later in, life what do you want to be
remembered your actions In france being awarded The medal Of,
honor meeting the, president and he, SAID i want my
legacy to be THAT i brought education to Rural.
Speaker 1 (38:11):
Tennessee how do you live with an idealized version of
yourself that you didn't have a hand in. Creating Perhaps
alvin understood his myth for what it, was something that
didn't belong to, him, really something, bigger more, abstract created
(38:34):
for public. Consumption there were good things about. It just
go To Paul, Mall tennessee for proof of. That it
inspired Countless americans to go back To, europe this time
to fight The. Nazis it gave comfort to grieving families
in the wake Of World War, one a shining example
of the fact that our men did great things on the.
(38:55):
Battlefield it was a life's work to sustain, myth and
it had its. Cost but just like with his military,
Service alvin was clear eyed about the trade offs and
willing to make. Them alvin passed away in nineteen sixty
four at the age of seventy six after a long.
(39:17):
Illness Otis merrithew finally received A Silver star in nineteen sixty,
five a year After alvin's. Death at his, ceremony he
admitted That alvin was quote a. Hero what precisely happened
on that battlefield in nineteen eighteen is something we'll never
(39:39):
know for. Sure one thing is. Certain Alvin yorke fought
valiantly for his. Country he fought for the people of his.
Community he fought in the way his faith had taught
him to for.
Speaker 4 (39:54):
Peace someday peace will return to the.
Speaker 2 (39:58):
World four pieces. One all of us must, work confined
to our last down S.
Speaker 1 (40:06):
Strength medal Of. Honor stories Of courage is written By
(40:33):
Meredith rollins and produced By Meredith, Rollins Jess, shane And Suzanne.
Gabber our editor Is Ben Nadav. Huffrey sound design and
additional music By Jake. Gorsky our executive producer Is Constanza.
Gallardo fact checking By Arthur. Gomperts original music By Eric.
Phillips special thanks to The Congressional medal Of Honor, Society
(40:54):
Tennessee State. Parks Thomas, wilmer host of the radio Show
journeys Of discovery With Tom wilmer AND, kcbx the public
radio station Servicing San DUIs, Obispo. California if you want
to learn more about this, story take a look at
our show, notes where we have some of the resources
we use to put together this. Episode we also want
(41:15):
to hear from, you so send us your personal story
of courage or highlight someone else's. Bravery email us At
metal Of honor At pushkin DOT. Fm i'm your, HOST.
Jr martinez
Host
Malcolm Gladwell
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