On October 8, 1918, Alvin C. York’s leadership, courage, and marksmanship helped bring about the surrender of 132 German soldiers and silence numerous machine guns. The extraordinary action occurred during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive in France, when York and a small American patrol came under heavy German machine-gun fire near Châtel-Chéhéry.
After several members of the patrol were killed or wounded, York assumed command of the remaining men. Rather than withdraw, he moved against the German positions, using deliberate rifle fire to neutralize machine-gun crews while directing his men to cover the prisoners. His actions protected the surviving Americans and compelled a much larger German force to surrender.
York was promoted to sergeant and received the Medal of Honor in 1919 for his heroism. His conduct under overwhelming pressure became one of the most celebrated individual acts of courage in American military history.
