Alvin York by Douglas V. Mastriano

Author:Douglas V. Mastriano
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780813145228
Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky

York on the 1929 cover of the U.S. Army War College Annual Exposition. The U.S. Army featured York as its guest of honor during its annual expo in Washington, D.C., in 1929, which included an exaggerated reenactment of his 8 October 1918 battle. (AHEC)

York continued to travel around the country raising money for his school. It seemed that America could not get enough of him, and with the story out at long last, perhaps the clamoring for war stories from him would end. However, between 3 and 5 October, the U.S. Army War College conducted its annual fair in Washington, D.C., with the highlight of the exposition being a twice-daily reenactment of the Sergeant York action.59 The “Smashing through the Argonne with Sergeant York” show drew ten thousand spectators each day. The exposition included displays of the U.S. Army’s and U.S. Air Corp’s latest weapons.60

To reenact the York action accurately, the U.S. Army assigned several officers to go through the archives and to interview eyewitnesses. However, the officers could not find maps that accurately depicted the location in France. To fill this historical gap, the researchers contacted Buxton and Danforth. The problem was that neither of these officers was an eyewitness to the action and therefore both had to rely on second-and third-hand information to develop their own grossly inaccurate sketches.61 Despite this, the army made the best of what it had to support the reenactment. These grossly inaccurate maps would later mislead future investigations in France trying to find the York site.

York and the surviving members of his platoon were invited as guests of the U.S. Army to participate in this event. The expo culminated with the presentation of the Distinguished Service Cross to Sergeant Early for leading the sixteen men into the German flank that morning in 1918. Among the others invited from York’s outfit was Corporal William Cutting.62 Having enlisted under the false name of William Cutting, Otis B. Merrithew had begun a campaign in the early 1920s against the U.S. Army to secure an award for himself, and claimed that it was he who took over when Sergeant Early fell, not York.63 It will be remembered that Merrithew confessed to a personal dislike of Alvin York while they served together in the 328th Infantry Regiment. Ironically, the difference between the two remained stark. York wanted to forget the war and would rather talk about his school, while Merrithew continually talked about the war and wanted others to know his point of view on this matter.64 To set the record straight, Merrithew began a letter-writing campaign to local newspapers in 1920. Having not achieved headway there, Merrithew found another way with his invitation to the 1929 Army War College Exposition, which put him in contact with Danforth, Harry Parsons, Buxton, and the other squad members.

Nevertheless, his endeavors to get a medal were not supported. Cutting’s platoon sergeant, Harry Parsons, flatly rebuffed him. This was the same Parsons whom Cutting claimed he handed the prisoners to on Hill 223.

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