The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Sgt. Alvin C. York - Mar 1st, 2004

www.alvincyork.org ^ | Dr. Michael Birdwell

[Iris7]

There is a special place in my heart for Allan Collum York, and I was afraid I would find disappointment in this Foxhole. Shucks, I have two bios of York, all I've been able to find.

Well, SAM, I am sorry that I doubted you. That piece was the best York thing I ever saw, except much too darn short! The pieces you used of York's account are well chosen, very nice.

Did some thinking about little details, putting together lots of sources, and here is how I see the story, done short.

York was kneeling and sitting in a little dip in the ground, just deep enough so he could just duck when the machine gun fire got too close. All of the brush in his area was mowed down like grass. The Germans would just barely peek over the edge of the high ground they were on, exposing just the eyes under the helmet, so as to correct their fire, then duck. Just a bob of the head. Pretty quick the brave and foolish Germans were all dead. The Germans tried raising several helmets on sticks at the same time one of them peaked out, so York had to figure which one had the head in it right quick. York had to be shooting when he saw the eyes - tenths of a second. Otherwise the Germans stayed low, behind their Maxims, heads down, and hosed over the crest.

Those Germans York killed with his M1911 were charging him with bayonets fixed, from about fifty feet away. Something less than six seconds before they got him. York figured that if they stopped and took aim he was a goner. Shot all seven dead in maybe four seconds. The last fell at York's feet, it has been reported. Shot with one hand while holding his Enfield in the other. That boy could shoot. They say that with a pistol York was equally good with either hand, by the way. Real, real, talent.

York didn't like to talk about this sort of thing, so I am "interpolating" lots of it, but I figure I am correct.

One thing is for absolutely sure, Alvin York was a true gentleman. Even had the gentleman's unfortunate head for finances! Snippy, here is your "manly man"!

[Iris7]

That movie is terrible. Cooper is terrible as York ("Stan Laurel would have been better," he said bitterly), and the story was absolutely treated like dirt.

Bunch of Hollywood types did the darn thing, figured us all for rubes.

Miserable propaganda besides. Casablanca is the WW2 US propaganda film.

[Iris7]

Until the GPS guided bomb there was nothing that could compare to a BB's big rifles for infantry support. Even today an Iowa can put down tonnage on target as well as GPS guided bombs, about the same accuracy, and put in two hundred tons an hour for maybe two hours, maybe ten or fifteen B-52 sorties per hour? And put one on target in one minute, every time.

Old, yeah, good stuff, you betcha.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[SAMWolf]

Morning Phildragoo.

Excellent commentary as usual. I liked Cooper in "Vera Cruz". Cooper was always good at playing the silent, reluctant hero, unlike certain blow-hard self aggrandizing politicians.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks Iris7. I just put together some articles I found. I found one site that had exerpts from York's diary but the thread was getting a bit too long already. Good interpretation of the events. Amazing when you think about what he accomplished.

[SAMWolf]

It's a good thing they didn't use Stan Laurel to play York ir John Kerry would be claiming the movie was made about him.

[colorado tanker]

Thanks for putting that together, Iris. I've never quite understood the sequence of events and that movie didn't help much. I've always liked the .45 pistol - York must've too! He didn't have to go tell every audience he was a WWI veteran, unlike Ketchup-boy.

Phil, I'm ashamed to say I didn't know Armand's father was a founder of the CPUSA. Boy, does that ever explain a lot. I'll have to pick up Dossier.

This election seems to be bringing to a head most of the threads of both the culture war and the war between socialism and free market democracy. I acknowledge Bush is not the ideal, prototype conservative, but I get very frustrated with folks who don't see what's at stake here.

[snippy_about_it]

Snippy, here is your "manly man"!

LOL. He could of been a contender. ;-)

[snippy_about_it]

Sorry I missed your cartoon last night Victoria. Good one.

[snippy_about_it]

Sorry I missed you last night w over w, I turned in early for a change. Alvin York was sumthin' else for sure!

[snippy_about_it]

...or real men will confront the Hun and a thousand ersatz superlooney islamimpotentates and by opposing, end them.

Let the battle begin.

[Iris7]

"Amazing when you think about what he accomplished."

Amazing that fools believe there are no miracles.

[w_over_w]

No need to ever apologize young lady . . . you get your rest. Personally, I don't know you juggle career and the Foxhole. I couldn't. Of course I do have a teenage daughter. ;^)