“Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, ‘Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? Show me the tax money.’ So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, ‘Whose image and inscription is this?’ They said to Him, ‘Caesar’s.’ ‘Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:17-21, NKJV)
Alvin York hailed from the Cumberland Valley in Tennessee not too far from the town of Pall Mall. He was raised on a 75 acre farm with his ten brothers and sisters in a one room log cabin. He was shooting at a young age and sometimes told people that he was shooting when he was “knee high to a duck.” He grew up working hard on the farm and helping his dad as a blacksmith when he wasn’t out hunting to supplement the family’s food supply. His heroes were Daniel Boone and Davy Crocket, both of whom were excellent marksmen.
His young life was disrupted when his father died in 1911. He took it hard and started drinking moonshine whisky, even though his dad never did, and once got in a knife fight over a girl. His mother prayed for him and consistently reminded him that Jesus was the Good Shepherd that always went after his lost sheep.
On January 1st, 1915 he went to a revival meeting to hear a revival preacher from Indiana, Rev. Melvin Russel, and when Russel gave the invitation Alvin went forward and gave his life to Christ. He said later that: “I felt that great power which the Bible talks about which all sinners feel, when they have found salvation.” (Erick Metaxis, 7 More Men, p.144) His life changed radically as he instantly gave up tobacco, drinking, gambling, cursing, and brawling. He read his Bible and tried to live by it. He was then allowed to court Gracie Williams whose father had not allowed it earlier because of his “heathen” ways. Two and a half years later they were engaged. (Ibid, p146)
In April 1917 , the United States declared war on Germany and not too much time elapsed until Alvin received a letter from the government to register for the draft. He did not know what to do because his denomination was against killing and he did not think he could possibly serve honorably as a soldier. He prayed and sought the counsel of his pastor who advised him to register for the draft and request an exemption as a conscientious objector. He did register, writing in a simple sincere way, “I don’t want to fight.”(Ibid p.147)
York's exemption was refused and he was ordered to report for a physical exam. He obeyed that order too but filed for an exemption the second time with his pastor helping him draft his request. He was turned down the second time. He spent more time praying and walking in the mountains asking God to show him what he should do. He appealed the county draft board decision to the state draft board and was denied again, as was the fourth appeal he sent.
On November 14, 1917 he was called to active duty and reported to Basic Training at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He met for the first time in his life people of different ethnic groups and religious beliefs: Slavs, Italians, Greeks, Jews, Poles, Armenians, and Irish. (African Americans were not integrated in the Army at this time.) He did all he was told to do and was very happy to find that there were Bible studies he could take part in and meet and get to know other Christians that were struggling with the same fear of being trained to kill fellow human beings.
After three months of basic training on February 9, 1918 he was assigned to the 328th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Division, also stationed at Camp Gordon. He immediately made a good impression on the company and battalion commanders, Captain Danforth and Major Buxton due to his work ethic and excellent marksmanship skills. He had long talks with Major Buxton about the Bible and his desire not to kill anyone. Finally, York asked for permission to go home and make a decision if he could in good conscience continue as an infantry soldier. He went home and as he prayed alone on a mountain God gave him peace that he could serve and that God would go with him. He said, God “knowed I had been troubled and worried, not because I was afraid, but because I put Him first, even before my country, and I only wanted to do that which would please Him.” (Ibid, p151)
He returned to his unit on April 19, 1918 and they soon shipped out to Camp Upton, New York and then to Boston and crossed the Atlantic to Liverpool, England and then to Le Havre, France. The battalion trained with the British and in June headed for the front. For 2 months the unit rotated in and out of the front and York had been promoted to Corporal and was in command of an automatic weapons squad. In October the 82nd Division was moved into position to be part of the Meuse- Argonne offensive along with 1.2 million other American soldiers.
On October 8, 1918 York's company was given the mission to attack Hill 223 and they set out in the darkness to begin the assault. When dawn broke they found themselves taking heavy fire from artillery and machineguns on the objective. Many fell and soon there was only the platoon sergeant still alive to give commands to his platoon. While the rest of the platoon was pinned down by the machine gun fire he directed York to take his squad around to the left and attack the machine guns from the rear. York and his squad were able to work their way around to the back of the German position and there they encountered twenty Germans who had just finished their breakfast. The enemy soldiers surrendered immediately. Suddenly, the German machine gunners turned their guns around and told their comrades to lie down as they sprayed the Americans with machine gun fire killing six, including York’s best friend.
York had no time to give orders. He hit the ground and started firing at each machine gun position, firing with calm and skill. He killed one after another as they lifted their heads to fire at him. At one point six of them charged him with bayonets and he killed all six from back to front just like he would have shot at a flock of turkeys. At this point there were about 20 dead enemy soldiers. The rest of his squad were laying behind the prisoners and hadn’t fired a single shot. York yelled at the enemy to surrender but they never responded. Finally, one of the German prisoners, Lieutenant Vollmer, said that he would get them to surrender if he stopped shooting. He then blew a whistle and all came out with their hands up. One German threw a grenade at York’s head and missed and Alvin shot him dead.
York and his seven surviving squad members now had about one hundred prisoners. Using Vollmer to translate, York lined up the prisoners and made them pick up his soldiers too wounded to walk and started walking back to the American lines. Vollmer was in front with York behind him and his soldiers on each flank and 3 in the rear. They ran into another German platoon and they surrendered to York and his men also. One of the captured German Lieutenants tried to warn another platoon in their path but Vollmer ordered them to surrender too. As they approached friendly lines the Americans at first thought it was a German attack but then they recognized York leading the German soldier. American Lieutenant Woods, the battalion adjutant, asked Corporal York how many prisoners he had and York replied. “Honestly, Lieutenant I don’t know.” They then counted 132 prisoners.
York was told to take the prisoners to Chatel- Chehery and near there he was greeted by the Brigade Commander General Lindsey who said, “ Well York I understand you captured the whole damned German army.” “No sir, I only got 132. " responded York.
On November 1st, Alvin York was promoted to Sergeant and on November 3rd, after an investigation he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. But at the request of Captain Danforth it was upgraded to the Congressional Medal of Honor, presented to him by Major General Duncan on April 18, 1919. Later France’s Marshal Ferdinand Foch, the overall Allied Commander, awarded him the French Medaille Militare, as well as the Croix de Guerre and the Legion of Honour.
When asked during the investigation into his actions this is what Sergeant York said when asked how he did it: “It was not man-power but divine power that saved me. Before the war I prayed to God and He done gave me my assurance that so long as I believed in Him not one hair on my head would be harmed; and even in front of them-there machine guns He knowed I believed in Him.”
Some men on the investigative team suggested that his survival was due to his luck and mountain skills he learned in the hills of Tennessee. His response was: “I’m a-telling you the hand of God must have been in that fight. It surely must have been divine power that brought me out. No other power in heaven could save a man in a place like that. Men were killed on both sides of me and all around me and I was the biggest and most exposed of all. I only got one explanation to offer, and only one: without the help of God I jes’ couldn't have done it….There can be no arguments about that.” (Ibid, p.164)
PRAY
Thank you Lord for Godly men and women who wholly put their faith in you and allow You to use them in any way that You chose and give You all the glory for their lives.
Help me to keep my eyes on you everyday and live totally sold out to be your man or woman wherever you place me.
