Today in history: 108 years ago today, October 8, 1918, a patrol of 17 members of Company G, 328th Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Infantry Division of the US Army was assigned to infiltrate German lines near Chatel-Chéhéry, France, to take out some German guns that were covering a railway needed for the Allied advance. After initial success, the patrol was taken under heavy machine gun fire, which killed three and heavily wounded six others, including the patrol leader, Sgt. Bernard Early, and two other senior non-coms. A newly promoted corporal from Tennessee was left in charge of six privates, pinned down and surrounded by Germans. So what did he do? He continued the attack. While the others provided covering fire, he started taking out German gunners with his rifle. At one point while he was reloading, six Germans attempted a bayonet charge on his position, and he killed all six with his M1911 .45. After 30 minutes of furious battle, the commander of the German unit offered his surrender, which was accepted, and the corporal returned to his unit with the bodies of his fallen comrades, his wounded buddies, and 132 German prisoners. His CO was reported to have said “Have you brought me the entire German Army?” He received a field promotion to sergeant and was credited with killing 25 Germans and capturing 132. He was awarded the Silver Star, which was later upgraded to a Medal of Honor. His name? Alvin Cullum York. You may have seen the movie about him, if you are an aficionado of old movies.
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