Andrew Jackson York has no idea what rifle his father used.

[RETREAD]

I have read reference by Mr. Alvin York that they had the " English" rifle. Could this have been in reference to the M 1917 or the SMLE?? I have read that excavation of the site where the famous action occurred is currently underway or has been recently completed. Does any one have more info ??

Information

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[Fred G.]

I lost the original post of this thread while trying to edit it, so I'm going to try to type it out again as I remember it. There was a man who wrote to the National RIfle Association about something that his father had told him years before. His father, a member of York's platoon, had been admitted to a field hospital near the front just before York earned his reputation taking out the German Machine guns. York visited the man the day before where the man was having his wound treated. Upon leaving, York asked if he could take the man's 1903 Springfield and did so with the man's permission. The 1903 was one of several that had been taken earlier by a man or couple of men who saw them in stacks behind a mess tent. When nobody was around or looking, The man or men grabbed an arm load of Springfields and took off with them back to their platoon. The hospitalized man told his son that until his visit from York at the hospital that day, York had used a 1917 Enfield. He said that York had been growing fond of the 1903's for awhile while observing the several in the posession of the men who had disgarded their 1917's for them earlier. The man told his son that he believed that the rifle that York left the hospital with that day was very likely the same one that he used in his exploits. The man's son had never forgotten what his father had told him and upon reading of York's heroic story in an American Rifleman, was reminded of what his father had said. The National Rifle Association listed the details of the story in one of their American Rifleman magazines where I read it. In response to anyone who insists that a well trained soldier of that time wouldn't have stolen rifles or weapons in that manner or used another type other than what he was issued, I have to tell you here and now that that just ain't necessarily so in every case. Personal experience there. Also, My grandpa's best friend, Fred Smith who went to war as an infantryman in WWI, told my gramps that the men who served with him, whenever they came across a 1903 Springfield, would drop their Enfields and pick up the Springfield. Gramps was proud of the fact that he'd qualified as an Expert Rifleman with the 1903 during the war and thought highly of it. I guess that Fred Smith and many others did too, in spite of the better battle sights of the 1917.
Here's a picture of my grandpa, James Mett Shippee, in 1917 at Camp Logan, Great Lakes Naval Training Center before he shipped off to the North Sea on the U.S.S. Wadsworth.

[Jim Tarleton]

Semper Fi, Scarface! Went to Quantico a couple of weeks ago. It has changed, but not too much. Saw a lot of officers jogging with artificial legs (half a dozen or so - IED's?). I guess the Corps changed their policy on amputees. They should have.

Jim

[Calif-Steve]

Guys, all of you all- Viet Nam Vets? Anybody smelled gun smoke in the morning? Armchair commados? I carried an M16 as I wanted to set the example. I was wounded one night and was in the field the next day. Officers and NCO's set the example, sorry but you combat vets know this true. Sgt York also set the example. Shaved, clean and he didn't stink. OK? Got it? So what weapon do you guess he carried? M1917, yes. He set the example. I was an Advisor in RVN and we carried ANYTHING we wanted. Just as long it was in the field. OK??? Again, I carried an M16.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

To add more confusion...
(Or maybe just add to Hollywood's contributions to authenticity)

In the movie, Sgt York used a 1903 and also picked off several Germans with a Luger.

I've read that 'Sgt York' used a Luger in movie version, only because they had a Luger set up that would cycle consistently firing blanks. From what I read (long ago) was they had a M1911 that was supposed to be used in the movie but it didn't function consistently firing blanks, so they used the Luger they had on set that happened to function better.

(Only what I read!)

[Calif-Steve]

The movie was just that, a movie. Very few movies honestly depict war. "Porkchop Hill", not bad, "Saving Pvt Ryan" was OK, but the concept was weak. Just hard to make a war movie that is honest. Hollywood has very few vets in the industry, only after WWII were any vets around.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

The movie was just that, a movie. Very few movies honestly depict war. "Porkchop Hill", not bad, "Saving Pvt Ryan" was OK, but the concept was weak. Just hard to make a war movie that is honest. Hollywood has very few vets in the industry, only after WWII were any vets around.

Hi Steve,
Have you ever seen 'Battleground' made just after WWII?
I'm not sure of the authenticity of all the facts, but the GI's in the movie acted more like you'd think real GI's would act.
(I love that movie, regardless)

The GI's were scared and miserable, but they fought anyway, more for their buddies than a noble cause, and they griped etc throughout the movie.

~ Harlan

[Mike D]

My opinion (not much) is kinda like what Steve said. York didn't think of himself as anything special, and I doubt he acted like it. I'm sure he thought if he was given a m1917 to use, than it was for a reason, and he used it.

Besides, it has better combat sights than a 1903 and it holds an extra round, if you want it to. I think a guy like York would grow to appreciate those things.

[Surpmil]

That's very intersting, and it remains only to be confirmed that US soldiers took their rifles with them when they went into hospital. And that only because I don't know myself of course.

[Jim Tarleton]

That's very intersting, and it remains only to be confirmed that US soldiers took their rifles with them when they went into hospital. And that only because I don't know myself of course.

Of all the pictures I have seen of WWI hospitals, none show any rifles. After every engagement, scavenger squads would police the battlefields for weapons and equipment. I can see no reason why a soldier would take his rifle to a hospital, nor why the stretcher bearers would bother to carry the extra weight. Since replacements did not arrive with weapons, the scenario doesn't make sense.

The story sounds great, but it's BS, as York's location is known for the the previous day of 7 Oct 1918 (his diary - he lay in a hole alongside the road "all day"). So he wasn't at a hospital, which were many miles behind the front lines. The triage stations were nearest the lines, and they were kept out of artillery range (usually).

Great story, but just that. York's own words refute the story - period.

Jim