Seargent York and 1903

[Fred G.]

A few years ago, The American Rifleman magazine published a letter written to them by a man who's father had been in Yorks platoon in the Great War. This man's father had been wounded and had been sent to a field hospital for treatment. While there, he was visited by York who was a friend of his. Upon leaving, York asked his friend if he could take the man's rifle with him. Consent was made and York left with it. This was the day before the event in which York earned his reputation against the German machineguns. The rifle was a 1903 Springfield that was one of the several that one or two of the members of Yorks platoon had seen stacked up behind a mess tent one day. The man or men, seeing an oportunity, grabbed a bundle or two of the rifles and beat it back to their platoon. Severlal of the men in the platoon exchanged their 1917 Enfields for the 1903 Springfields at that time. York, who'd kept his 1917, had over a time begun to desire a 1903 for himself as he observed the several being used by the men who'd exchanged their 1917's for them. The man in the hospital had told his son that until Yorks visit with him in the field hospital, York had retained and used a 1917. He said that he didn't know for certain, but he told his son that he believed that the rifle York used in the event on the following day against the Germans was the very rifle that he let York take with him from the hospital where the man was ordered to remain for a time. My grandfather's best friend, Fred Smith, out of Kansas City, MO, who was an infantryman in WW I, told my grandpa that the men in his unit, who carried 1917's, would upon finding a Springfield lying on the ground, would drop their Enfield and pick up the Springfield every time. That's from the horses mouth. My grandfather, who was a qualified Expert Rifleman with the 1903 Springfield, thought VERY highly of it.
By the way, as per York's personal diary, the serial number of his 1911 Colt that was stolen from him while he was shipping home aboard the transport vessel was No.254648.

Here's a neat picture of my grandpa, James Mett Shippee, in 1917 on the rifle range that he helped build at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, The picture was taken just before Gramps was assigned to and shipped out to the North Sea on the Destroyer, U.S.S. Wadsworth.

[Jim Tarleton]

It is a great story, but it isn't a true story. According to Cpl. Alvin York, he spent the day of 7 Oct 1918 in combat and spent the entire day in a hole alongside a road. If you read his diary, you will see he wasn't at any hospital, which would have been many miles behind enemy lines. There were triage stations near the front, and first aid stations at the front, but York wasn't there either.

Jim

[Fred G.]

Jim, maybe it WAS a triage station or some other area near the front. Maybe the son THOUGHT he remembered his father saying the visit from York was the day before when he's actually said it was shortly before the event. Really Jim, can we truyly say that we KNOW that the story isn't true? I don't see how we can absolutely know that. I'll wager that the account could be very true and that the telling of it from person to person has altered some details that should not be used to denounce the event as meer fancy. That's why I avoid ending my statements with the word "Period". I try to leave room for adjustment and investigation. Good job of detailing the events of Yorks diary. However that is just his diary and the events as they transpired on the day before the event. It might have been some time before when he obtained the wounded man's rifle.

[SAJTU]

Fred

Not to come into this discussion late but that gentleman who recounted that story in the American Rifleman about Alvin York and the 1903 is a member of my local rifle Club. He's a retired AF Colonel and has been a competitive shooter for many years, still shooting on the Bald Eagles Palma Team, so very familiar with any firearms that might have been discussed or used by York. His Dad served in Sergeant York’s platoon and as a youngster, John had actually had met Alvin York during family visits. John's Dad recounted how the troops were issued 1917s but that some liberated 1903's were available for the platoon to use. John's Dad was whom York visited in hospital and due to his wounds wasn't involved in the brave action. I think some of the confusion in this thread is the fact that York didn't "borrow" the 1903 at the hospital but used what was available to the platoon. John's Dad always indicated York had used one of those liberated 1903s to capture the German machinegun nests recounted in the citation and in the movie. I think John would be willing to discuss this further, but I would have to respect his privacy until he agrees to some forum to chat about this.

SAJTU

[Jim Tarleton]

Now, that's an interesting development. We look forward to his comments if he is so disposed.

Jim

[farmritch]

I can tell you all that I spoke w/Yorks son a time or two in Pall Mall
York was a lot like my Grandfather and were from only about 40 miles apart.
My grandfather wound up in an artillary guard unit from Texas( I'm still trying to figure that one out)
Did not talk about the war, nor made a many comments about it after he came home , other than say it was terrible.
My grandfather was also a crack shot and was a Hard Core Baptist, he also had a fond interest in firearms. I have a pic I should share of him at basic with his rifle.
My Uncle just passed a few Months ago and at his funeral I learned he was a gunner in B17's and like my grand dad kept quiet about what he had saw
those were hill people, lived a simple life and saw the most horrific things that they would have never imagined.
Now back to Alvin's son, seems as if the state of Tennessee gave him that job and he was very unfamiliar with too much that went on. Other than what he picked up later on in years.
Alvin had a few tech schools built ith what he had and tried to make it better for the young people from Tennessee.
And only after the war bond drives of WW2 did he speak of the war. He just wanted the poor (yes they were and stil are) people from the hill's to be better educated & have better lives.
My point for this post in the first place is I would not put much into what York's son would say. I found out a couple weeks after I met him that he was his son, and it seems so odd that he just seemed to quote some of the material he had there for sale.