The reluctant man too good at killing: Alvin York. When the United States entered the First World War, many jumped at the opportunity to join the fighting.
Others, however, were sent to the trenches against their will.
Of these reluctant warriors, some would rise to the occasion and become war heroes in spite of their hesitancy to fight.
Perhaps the most famous American who served in the Great War was one of these men.
Alvin Cullum York was born on December 13th, 1887 in Paul Mall, Tennessee, the third of 11 children.
His family was impoverished and York only had 9 months of total formal schooling before working as a laborer and blacksmith to support his family.
In order to put food on the table, he was also an avid hunter, a skill that would serve him well in the future.
York also had a wild streak, which included frequent run-ins with the law.
By 1915, however, he turned aside from his hedonistic ways and became a member of the Church of Christ in Christian Union.
After his conversion, York became a devout follower of his new faith and became a respected member of the Church community.
