With thanks to John Daniel for finding this information for us
Before the First World War, Alvin worked as a blacksmith. He was denied status as a conscientious objector and was drafted into the U.S. Army during The First World War. While serving in the 82nd Infantry Division during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive (October 1918), he was among a patrol of 17 men ordered to take out a German machine-gun emplacement that was checking his regiment’s advance. Behind enemy lines the patrol lost half its men but managed to take a handful of prisoners before being pinned down by extremely heavy rifle and machine-gun fire. Corporal York assumed command and, while the rest of the survivors took up defensive positions and stood guard over the prisoners, Corporal York attacked alone and, firing rapidly and with deadly accuracy at the enemy gunners, killed more than two dozen of them, which prompted the others to surrender. En route back to the American lines, he captured still more Germans, to a total of 132.
Alvin York was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and later received the Congressional Medal of Honour and similar honours from France and other countries. After the war he returned to Tennessee, where he lived on a farm given to him by that State. He helped to establish an industrial institute and a Bible school for the education of rural youth. His autobiography, “Sergeant York, His Own Life Story and War Diary” (Edited by Tom Skeyhill*), was published in 1928.
Alvin York died on 2nd September 1964 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The photograph of Alvin York in uniform was taken in 1919. He is shown wearing the Medal of Honour and French Croix de Guerre with Palm medals he was awarded.
Sources: Wikipedia, information supplied by John Daniel and
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alvin-Cullum-York
* See the post about Tom Skeyhill here:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/1469575372198324716/4500128455326203988
