Alvin York

December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964

World War I Medal of Honor Recipient

A pacifist-turned-hero who credited God for his WWI valor

Biography

American soldier and one of the most decorated soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor for leading an attack that killed 25 Germans and captured 132 prisoners.

Faith & Testimony

Initially a conscientious objector due to his Christian faith, York struggled with the morality of war before serving. After the war, he used his fame to establish schools and agricultural programs in his rural Tennessee community. His story was told in the 1941 film 'Sergeant York.'

Sources

Alvin York — Wikipedia — Biography of the WWI hero
Sergeant York (film) — Wikipedia — The 1941 film starring Gary Cooper
Sergeant York: His Own Life Story and War Diary by Alvin C. York — York's diary and autobiography describing his dramatic conversion from hard-drinking fighter to devout Christian, and his internal struggle as a pacifist believer drafted into WWI
Alvin York: Christian Soldier — Christianity Today profile of York's conversion at a revival meeting, his pacifist convictions, and how his pastor and draft board helped him reconcile faith with military service