During World War I, American Army Sgt. Alvin York earned fame but he never sought it and sometimes it embarrassed him.

A tall redhead, he was born in the deep Wolf Valley of Tennessee seven miles from the Kentucky border. His parents were poor sharecroppers and Alvin was the eldest of their eight children.

They all attended a one-room school but Alvin dropped out at third grade. Their mother was a Bible reader who tried to instill Christian values in her children. Alvin was in his teens when his father died and Alvin took it badly. He started drinking, associated with bad company and often got into trouble with the law. His behavior troubled his mother, who prayed for him faithfully. But there was one thing that he was admired for. He was a good marksman with his rifle, and won most of the local contests.

One night, his behavior suddenly changed and he began to read the Bible, a trait he followed for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, distant events would change the course of his life.

At this time, war was raging in Europe, where Germany had invaded the smaller countries with the exception of England and France, who stood alone. To aid these allies, America declared war on Germany, which affected the lives of all Americans. Men aged 18 to 45 were drafted into the Armed Forces. Alvin was called June 5, 1917. He didn’t want to go. He wrestled with his conscience.

He believed the Bible’s “thou shall not kill,” but he was also a true patriot. He applied for a deferment but was turned down. He was inducted into the Army and given the Army number 1910421. He spent basic training at Fort Gordon in Georgia, where his skill on the firing range and sense of responsibility earned him the rank of corporal.

Soon afterward, he was put in a battalion which left for France. There he joined forces that were fighting in the Argonne Forest. Their objective was to capture what the army maps called Hill 223. At the hill’s summit and beyond lay a German supply train line carrying vital war supplies. To reach the top, Americans had first to overcome a machine gun nest and front line troops in a trench at the bottom. Fierce fighting began, which resulted in heavy losses by the Americans. When the number of wounded began to pile up, Cpl. York and his platoon were ordered to move closer to the front line. Here, the corporal noticed the Germans, when firing their weapons, briefly raised their head and shoulders above the trench line, making good targets and soon he was bringing down the Germans. Afterward, he said Germans in that front line reminded him of the long-necked wild turkeys he shot back home, who always raised their heads after eating.

With their front line breached, the enemy retreated. Meanwhile, to replace wounded officers, Cpl. York was ordered to bring back prisoners to base. Under his guidance, he and seven privates brought back 128 prisoners, four German officers and several machine guns. Later, the Americans took over the railway line, ending the battle in the Argonne Forest, which was a turning point in the war.

When it ended, York was still in France, where he had been promoted to sergeant. Before his discharge, he was awarded our nation’s highest honor, the Congressional Medal of Honor. He also was awarded France’s highest award, the Croix de Guerre. On his return to the United States, he was greeted like a hero everywhere he went. He returned to the Wolf Valley in Tennessee where he built a home and married his longtime sweetheart.

He was a quiet man who disliked publicity as he grew older. He died at age 77 in the Nashville Veterans Hospital.

Agnes “Pat” Pfleuger is a Dunkirk resident.