York, Alvin Cullum, born 13-12-1887, in Fentress County, 
Tennessee, United States, the third of 11 children, 
to William Uriah York (1863–1911) 
and his wife Mary Elizabeth, born Brooks, York (1866–1943)
. As a youth he became an expert marksman in the back woods around Pall Mall.
In 1919 he married Grace Loretta “Gracie”, born Williams York (1900–1984) 
and the couple had also many children, 11. One son was Constable Thomas Jefferson York 
who was shot and killed, age 34 while investigating an accident on U.S. Highway 127 near Jamestown, Tennessee in Fentress County. A man notified Constable York of the accident while the constable was at home in bed.
In 1917, he received a draft notice to fight in the war, to which he wrote on the back of the notice ‘dont want to fight’ and sent it back to the local draft board. The board rejected his refusal to fight and he was sent off to basic training. After basic training, he was assigned to the 82nd Division 
where they fought numerous battles and were then tasked with supporting the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On 08-10-1918, Corporal Alvin York and sixteen other soldiers under the command of Sergeant Bernard Early 
were dispatched before sunrise to take command of the Decauville railroad behind Hill 223 in the Chatel-Chehery sector of the Meuse-Argonne sector. 
The seventeen men, due to a misreading of their map (which was in French not English) mistakenly wound up behind enemy lines. A fire fight ensued and several of his comrades were hit including Sergeant Early. Alvin York then performed a feat of heroism that would earn him the Medal of Honor. 
His citation reads: “After his platoon had suffered heavy casualties and 3 other noncommissioned officers had become casualties, Corperol York assumed command. Fearlessly leading 7 men, he charged with great daring a machine gun nest which was pouring deadly 
and incessant fire upon his platoon. In this heroic feat the machine gun nest was taken, together with 4 officers and 128 men and several guns.” After returning from the war, York became a staunch pacifist. With war becoming more likely again in Europe, Alvin began pleading with people to avoid war at all costs. But when World War II (WWII) broke out, Alvin attempted to re-enlist in the infantry but age prevented him from doing so. Instead, he signed up with the U.S. Signal Corps 
and traveled the country on bond tours, recruitment drives, and camp inspections. In 1941, a stirring movie of his life and times entitled “Sergeant York,” starring Gary Cooper, was released, which went on to win 2 Academy Awards.
Death and burial ground of York, Alvin Cullum.
Alvin York passed away on 02-09-1964, Nashville, Tennessee, United States and was buried with full military honors in the Wolf River cemetery. His funeral was attended by Governor Frank Goad Clement 
and General Matthew Bunker, “Old Iron Tits” Ridgway 
as President Lyndon B. Johnson’s official representative. Alvin York is buried at the Wolf River Cemetery, Pall Mall, TN 38577, Fentress, Tennessee, United States.
Leave a Reply