Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne

Acknowledgments

217 Acknowledgments Alvin York: A New Biography of the Hero of the Argonne is the culmination of a decade of labor. I am blessed to have a family that actively participated in this adventure. Therefore, this work is dedicated to the two most important people in my life: my wife, Rebbie, and son, Josiah. Rebbie is the hero behind this endeavor. She never hesitated to share in the time-consuming undertaking of digging deeper into the York story, which included numerous journeys to the remote Argonne Forest. She was there from the start, and at the cost of a sprained ankle discovered the specific location where the German 125th Württemberg Regiment machine gun position was situated— the one that York fought against on 8 October 1918. Having a wife willing to share in the spartan adventures of traversing a centuryold battlefield is commendable enough, but add to it her keen tactical sense and I am blessed beyond measure. Also with me on nearly every journey to the Argonne Forest was my son, Josiah, who literally grew up exploring the sacred soil where so many Americans fought in 1918. From the age of five, Josiah was with me climbing up and down the rugged Argonne hills, and he helped unearth the actual artifacts fired from York’s weapons that put to rest any honest debate whether York was the hero the army claimed him to be. Since then, Josiah has poured his energy into preserving this piece of our American military heritage by undertaking the most ambitious Eagle Scout service project I have seen in some thirty years of Scouting. Josiah improved and expanded the Sergeant York Historic Trail (Circuit du Sergeant York). Looking back, I am humbled that this endeavor was one in which my family participated, sharing the ups and downs, the sorrows and joys that it entailed. What an incredible journey, what an incredible story! My interest in Sergeant York began as a youth when I watched the movie of his life with my father. There was something striking about the story—namely, a hero that never set out to be one and who did not use his notoriety for personal gain. Later in my army career I began looking into heroes worthy of emulation, and of course York made my top three list, alongside George Washington and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. However, upon digging deeper 218 Acknowledgments into the York story I was troubled by the lack of precision in the record about York’s military service as well as the assertions of revisionist historians who questioned York’s actions without a historical reason to do so. Thus was launched a decade-long endeavor to get to the bottom of the York story. Arriving at this point would not have been possible without the generous help and support of scores of people, too many to name, but I will give it a go in the hopes that I do not miss someone who played an important role in bringing this story together. This will be long, for over the years many people have helped me not only to locate the York site, but also to help us place two monuments and build the Circuit du Sergeant York (Sergeant York Historic Trail), where visitors to the Argonne can actually walk where York walked. Heartfelt thanks to Kory and Beth O’Keefe, who have not only been the best of friends and principal coworkers in the endeavor to discover the York site, but also were leaders in building and maintaining the Sergeant York Historic Trail in the Argonne Forest. Memories of theArgonne diet (turkey and cheese on white bread), waffles, and a sighting of the Jersey Devil in the Argonne (perhaps it was a cow) combine with thoughts of days of hard work. I am blessed to have such faithful and dedicated friends who have selflessly given so much of their time and energy to preserve the York legacy. Sincere thanks to Major General David Zabecki, the U.S. Army’s premier Great War historian, who has provided sage advice not only on how to proceed with the research but also on how to perpetuate the York story. He has been this project’s mentor and the inspiration behind the historical approach to the research. Thanks also to Colonel Jerry Morelock (U.S. Army, ret.), who provided excellent support and the platform of his excellent history magazine , Arm Chair General, to get word out to the public on the...