Sergeant Alvin York A Famous Tennessean. What is a Sergeant? In the United States army, a sergeant...

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Sergeant Alvin York A Famous Tennessean

Transcript of Sergeant Alvin York A Famous Tennessean. What is a Sergeant? In the United States army, a sergeant...

Sergeant Alvin York

A Famous Tennessean

What is a Sergeant?

• In the United States army, a sergeant is a leader of a military group.

World War I

• A world war is a war which effects most of the world’s most powerful counties and population.

• WWI was centered in Europe, and lasted from 1914-1918.

• It was one of the biggest wars in history.

Alvin York was from Pall Mall, TN

Pall Mall is north west of Oak Ridge. It would take us about two hours to get to Pall Mall.

Before being drafted into war, York worked on the railroad near Harriman, TN

York was also a Sunday School teacher and a song leader at this church, which is where he met his wife, Gracie Williams.

York received his draft card in 1917, at the age of 29, but he wrote on the card that he didn’t want to fight, and sent it back to the government.

*What does it mean to be drafted by the military? It means you have been chosen as someone who will serve the country in a time of war.

Forced to Fight

• York was forced to travel to Europe, where he was then stationed.

• He was an excellent marksman, but refused to fight. He eventually changed his mind, and choose to fight on behalf of our country.

• He and 17 other men misread a map and ended up behind enemy lines.

• This is when York became a war hero, but he also lost his best friend.

War Hero

• The German troop surrendered to York, and the remaining men. The surrendered troop contained 132 German soldiers.

• York was awarded the Congressional Metal of Honor.

*The Congressional Metal of Honor is the highest award that can be given to military personnel.

Tennessee

• York was a very popular man when he returned to the US in 1919. Hollywood and Broadway wanted York to work with them.

• York turned them away and returned to life in Tennessee.

Virtual Field Trip

• Tennessee Crossroads Video featuring Alvin York’s son

4th Grade Social Studies

• 4.1.04 Understand the contributions of individuals and people of various ethnic, racial, religious, and socioeconomic groups to Tennessee.

• 4.3.01 Understand how to use maps, globes, and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process and report information from a spatial perspective.

• 4.5.12 Identify major events, people, and patterns in Tennessee.

Resources

• The Murfreesboro Post, April 3, 2011, Sergeant York’s Son Recalls Humble Hero of War, http://www.murfreesboropost.com/sgt-yorks-son-recalls-humble-hero-of-war-cms-26647

• Legends and Traditions of The Great War, http://www.worldwar1.com/heritage/sgtayork.htm

• Congressional Metal of Honor Society, http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-archive.php