Le Sergent York, héros américain

Alvin York (1887-1964) is one of the most famous Americans of the Great War, thanks to his feats of arms in the forest on the Châtel heights. On October 8, 1918, after violent machine-gun attacks, Corporal York (328th RI - 82nd DI) took command of a group reduced to 7 men and launched an attack on the German positions. After repelling a bayonet attack, they stormed the enemy machine-gun nests. 132 German soldiers were taken prisoner, including 4 officers. York was immediately appointed Sergeant. According to Marshal Foch, Commander-in-Chief of the Allied armies, this was "the greatest feat ever achieved by an ordinary soldier in any army in Europe". His feat of arms earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor and fame in the U.S. Hollywood dedicated a film to him, directed by Howard Hawks in 1941 and starring Gary Cooper as Sergeant York. Today, a 3 km historical forest trail allows visitors to explore the battlefield.