The Medal of Honor

Every soldier understands the Medal of Honor is for heroes. It’s an award of merit from Congress to U.S. soldiers “for bravery above and beyond the call of duty.”

This week I borrowed from the library “Sergeant York,” an old movie that’s an authentic part of America’s history. If you’ve never seen this movie, starring Gary Cooper as Alvin York, consider yourself “ignorant” until you see it.

Alvin York was from Tennessee. He was a reluctant soldier in the Army in World War I, who fought against the Germans in the battle at Argonne. Before I tell you what he did, you ought to know who he was.

York was a simple man. He was a rowdy brawler who changed. He became a Christian who opposed fighting. When he was drafted, he signed up as a conscientious objector, believing that killing was murder. The draft board rejected his appeal. After discussing the Bible and America’s freedom (how we won independence in a war), he prayed. That was when God changed his mind.

In combat his company was pinned down by 25 machine guns. The U.S. troops were exposed, being slaughtered by the bloody, withering fire. York, strafed by bullets, made his way alone under constant heavy fire into a position to outflank the enemy. He used his sharpshooter skills to pick off the enemy one by one. York killed 23 German soldiers and silenced 25 machine guns. He did this with a Springfield 1903 bolt-action rifle that fired 10 to 15 rounds per minute. To reload, he had to feed a 5-shot clip of 30-.06 bullets into the top of the rifle’s breach. Each spent casing had to be manually ejected. York was never hit. His shots never missed.

York came back to a hero’s welcome in New York — but he shunned fame and went home to Tennessee where he married and farmed. He turned down movie offers that would have made him wealthy, not wanting to be paid for killing men.

Twenty years later, World War II broke out in Europe. The man behind Warner Brothers Studios spent time with York and convinced him that the slaughter of the Jews by the Nazis deserved America’s help. York agreed, if Gary Cooper would play him. Cooper agreed; the movie was made. York, the most decorated U.S. soldier in WWI, became the man who moved America from pacifism to entering combat in WWII.

When asked why he chose to fight after being strongly opposed to killing, York replied, “I saw the machine gunners killing hundreds, maybe thousands, so I knew I had to shoot them to save lives.”

York hadn’t fought because he hated Germans or wanted glory. He risked his life to save lives. That’s real love, “to lay down our life for the life of a friend,” said Jesus.

On July 4th, we wave our flags to celebrate freedom — but the freedom we take for granted isn’t free. I’ve watched children in school stand, face the flag, place a hand over their heart, and recite the Pledge of Allegiance: “One nation, under God, indivisible….” They don’t know the price we’ve paid for this land of liberty.

My favorite pop singer, Neil Diamond, captured the feeling: “They’re coming to America, today!” Then he repeats the refrain, “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing….”