York's famous Machinegun finds a home

[Brad Posey]

Slide 15

[Brad Posey]

Slide 16

[Brad Posey]

Slide 17

[Brad Posey]

Slide 18

[Brad Posey]

Slide 19

[Brad Posey]

Slide 20

[Brad Posey]

Slide 21

[Brad Posey]

Ok, I have covered just about everything I can think of concerning the location of where Sergeant York earned the CMOH and analyzed in some detail all of the relevant and non-relevant documentation concerning this fight including a good look at Skeyhill’s book, otherwise known as the York Diary.

In all fairness the opposition to this research needs to be heard and I think we can count them out as far as participating in this discussion here.

However, for the sake of preserving the objective nature of my research, I will give the Army officer led group the last word in this discussion. On their behalf, I will, submit tomorrow, their side of the story by presenting photos I took of their “Story Board” located in Chatel Chéhéry that describes this event the way they understand it. They have a map similar to my maps, but thier map is completely different than the maps I have presented here and really tells a completely different story.

[Brad Posey]

Here are a couple photos of the "Story Board" I will be discussing tomorrow night.

[Brad Posey]

And here is the Story Board.

[Brad Posey]

Here is the Army officer led group, or Sergeant York Discovery Expedition story board located on the western edge of Chatel Chéhéry near the gap in Hill 223 where their “York Trail” starts.

This first photo is of their description of what is taking place on the map. I typed all of this up and will post it along with the map in the next post to make it easier to read and follow.

Again, this is THEIR interpretation based on their research and has nothing to do with Dr. Nolan or myself.

I only want to give them the opportunity to at least present their case here, which is highly unlikely, so all I can do is present their story board in absentee since it on public display. If you want to know more about their research please visit their web site at:

http://www.sgtyorkdiscovery.com/Home_Page.php

[Brad Posey]

Here is what is written on the previous photo on their story board:

1. The area where the Americans attacked from on 8 October 1918

2. The American attack was stopped in the valley by overwhelming German force. Suffering mounting casualties, 17 American soldiers (York among them) we ordered to outflank them.

3. The German 120th and 125th Wuerttemberg Regiments defended the area. Point 3 denotes the location of the German 7th Bavarian Mineur Company, which York captured as he exited the valley (after the battle).

4.) The 17 Americans chased two Germans across the stream and into the meadow located north of here and captured 80 Germans.

5.) One the road above here was a German machinegun, which fired upon the 17 Americans in the meadow, killing or wounding 9. Of the 8 survivors, York was now in command.

6.) York charged up the hill, outflanked and illuminated the German machinegun.

7.) While moving back to his men and prisoners, York was spotted by German Lieutenant Fritz Endriss, who led a bayonet charge against him. Using his Colt .45 pistol York defeated this attack and secured the surrender of more Germans.

8.) York moved his more than 100 prisoners to the road south of here (the way you followed into the forest from Chatel Chéhéry).

9.) Upon making it to Chatel Chéhéry, York’s prisoners were counted, he captured 132 Germans.

[Brad Posey]

To make it a little easier to understand and compare to our research I have transposed what they are saying on the story board onto the French National Institute of Geography (IGN) 1:25,000 Foret d’Argonne map sheet that we use.

[Brad Posey]

Slide 1

[Brad Posey]

Slide 2