Why is alvin york famous

York and 16 other soldiers were caught in a German ambush behind enemy lines. An expert marksman who often won shooting competitions back home in Tennessee, York was ordered to silence the German machine guns.

He charged the hill where the Germans were entrenched, killing He captured more of the enemy. His bravery earned him a promotion to sergeant, more than 40 awards and honors and the enduring status of a war hero. At first, the conflict's results and York's actions were filed in a military report without fanfare. But things changed after April when Saturday Evening Post writer George Pattullo wrote about the action, singling out the year-old York's heroism.

Two decades later the story got the Hollywood movie treatment. Actor Gary Cooper played the title role in the "Sergeant York," telling York's story to a new generation. After the war York returned to Tennessee and established the York Foundation to educate impoverished mountain children. We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives.

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The military, however, denied his request. York reluctantly entered the U. Army on Nov. His disciplined living and superior shooting ability saw him promoted. Such disapproval ended forever due to his Oct. As York witnessed the death and wounding of several in his unit, he saw that he must fight and kill in order to prevent further bloodshed among his fellow American soldiers. Having crossed this moral dilemma, plenty of physical obstacles remained, such as charging up a hill against machine gun fire.

At one point, York was facing 19 German soldiers some sources say 18 by himself. Unfazed, the crack marksman killed them all. A second wave of German soldiers desperately charged him with bayonets. York shot them down. At this point, a German lieutenant — deeply affected by the agony and pleading of a fellow officer — blew a whistle and ordered the remaining soldiers in his battalion to surrender, as related by Douglas V.

York marched German prisoners back to his astounded commanding officer. The unscathed hero received high military honors from such Allied nations as France, Italy and Montenegro. The U. However, his phenomenal feat had gone largely unnoticed by the American public — until an article detailing his bravery and marksmanship appeared in an April issue of The Saturday Evening Post.