A Soldier's Story: Sergeant Alvin Cullum York - WWI



Sergeant Alvin Cullum York was born December 13, 1887, one of eleven children. He was raised in a log cabin in Pall Mall, Tennessee, a small Wolf River County town tucked into the Cumberland mountains.

A big man at 6'2" with red hair, Sergeant Alvin York was a pacifist at heart. Nevertheless, he was drafted in WWI despite being a conscientious objector. After soul-searching during basic training, Sergeant Alvin York agreed to fight in the war. 


Despite his hatred of his job as a marksman, Sergeant Alvin York performed admirably. He earned the Congressional Medal of Honor as a Corporal of G Company, 328th Infantry, 82nd Division A.E.F. During the Battle of Argonne Forest, Sergeant York, with only a few men, captured 132 enemy soldiers, killing 25.

When he returned from the war, he fulfilled his dream of opening a school. He sold the rights to his story and used the proceeds to open the Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute. The movie Sergeant York starred Gary Cooper.

  The York Institute still exists today. 

He remained active in world events and dedicated himself to educational improvements. 

Sergeant Alvin Cullum. York died on September 2, 1964, and rests in the Wolf River Cemetery in Pall Mall, Tennessee.


* Read about a.d. elliott's Everyday Patriot Project here*


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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to the travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

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Location: Pall Mall, TN 38577, USA

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