Where was World War I hero Alvin York born?

Alvin Callum York was born December 13, 1887, to William and Mary York of Pall Mall, TN. The third of eleven children, York received minimal schooling as a child due to a need to aid his father in running the family farm and hunting for food. Though his formal education was lacking, he learned to be a crack shot and an adept woodsman. In the wake of his father's death in 1911, York, as the eldest still living in the area, was forced to aid his mother in raising his younger siblings. To support the family, he began working as a laborer and logger in Harriman, TN.

Sgt. York single-handedly captured over 150 Germans in WWI.

More Info: militaryhistory.about.com

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24 Comments

Kenneth Dobson

I would be embarrassed to miss this one. Sgt. York was my grandpa's cousin.

Keith Richard Mears

The question did not ask where his parents were born, he was born in a rural cabin in Fentress County Tennessee, not in any town.

Alec Boreham

Fentress County should've been the answer.

Edie Koller

A wonderful human being. A real hero. I also loved the movie with Gary Cooper in it. I also knew the wife of the most decorated man of WW2. Audie Murphy. I knew Pam Murphy because she worked at the Veterans Hospital Sepulveda Ca. Rest in peace all of them. And may God Bless them. I am not a hero but I am a women Navy Veteran from the Vietnam era.

Don Penick

i loved the movie with gary cooper ive seen 10 times or evertime it comes on.

klmilles

York was one of the most decorated American soldiers in WWI. Ironically, when he was drafted, he originally claimed conscientious objector status as a born-again Christian. He was subsequently convinced that his faith did not prevent his fighting. His maternal grandfather was a Union Army deserter during the Civil War. Guess he was representing for his whole family. Brave man.

dmarkc

A member of the film crew asked York how many Germans he'd killed. York sobbed and became sick. He later pleaded for the guy not to be fired for the callous question. It took the second World War for him to be convinced to allow the film to be made. Initially, he said, "This uniform ain't for sale."

Lawanta

Edie Koller, THANK YOU for bravely serving our country! ❤️🌟💙

earlepg

Picked what sounded like the smallest town.

Coral Harvey

A real hero. Someone who had worked hard all of his life.

Jerry Edwards

The majority of references point to a rural cabin in Fentress County as his birthplace, rather than any specific town or village. The reference used by the author does state Pall Mall, so can't criticise too much.