The summer of heat doesn't look like it is going to stop anytime soon. Today's temps are heading for the upper 90's again. Whew!
We decided to visit the home of a WW1 hero, Sgt Alvin C York. He lived in the mountains about 45 miles from where we are camped. Sgt York was the highest decorated soldier of WW1. He received the Medal Of Honor for his actions in France. Here is the part of the description of his actions.
On October 8, 1918, after being pinned down in an attempt to capture a narrow-gauge railroad, York took his fateful walk into history. As the company sharp-shooter, he and 16 other soldiers under the command of Acting Sergeant Bernard Early were given the unenviable task of silencing the machine guns that halted the advance the day before. It was a cold, wet morning. Rain mixed with sleet added to the gloom of the fog that draped the landscape. As the soldiers worked their way around the hill, the men on the left flank stood exposed in the creek bottom. German machine gunners opened fire, wounding or killing nine Americans, including York's best friend Murray Savage. York was on the right flank beneath the crest of the hill in a natural depression, which he used to kill nine of the men who operated the guns. In the meantime, his comrades opened fire on the Germans, and in a few minutes 25 were dead. The Germans surrendered to what they thought was a superior force, and York and the American survivors escorted 132 prisoners to American forces at Varennes some 10 miles away.
He was also awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, World War I Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, French Légion d'honneur, French Croix de guerre with Palm, Italian Croce di Guerra, Montenegrin War Medal. Pretty good for an old country boy. There was a movie made of his life starring Gary Cooper. Turns out he was a pretty enterprising man and went from nothing to owning the town general store, the grist mill, and even opening a school nearby. The family home was built for him and his wife when he decided to return home instead of touring the country giving speeches. The local Rotarian's gathered pledges to help pay for the mortgage. Some of these were not paid and the York's were left with the bill. They did OK and lived in the house until his death.
We brought a picnic lunch with us and the area of the grist mill has a very nice little park. We stopped there to enjoy the lunch. It was shady and there was a bit of a breeze so it didn't feel the 98 degrees they say it was. But boy, when you left the shade it was hot. In the park were some booths of the longest yard sale so we checked it out for a bit.
Even though this is the world's longest yard sale they still have basically the same things for sale. Lots of clothes, glassware, tools, and assorted junk. Some stands have new stuff or craft stuff. All along the 45 mile drive we passed people with things for sale. We did stop at a couple other places but were able to pass on buying anything. Our thrift store shopping friends would have a ball here. I wonder how much of the 5 state sale they would be able to cover?
It turned out to be a nice trip and we were both tired when we got home.
Later that evening we had a really big thunderstorm come through. It is hard for me to think of rain and one of the hottest days of the year happening in the same day. Rain to those of us from California usually means cool weather, not here.
So that was our day. Enjoy all of the pictures.
No comments:
Post a Comment