With over 2 million American soldiers serving in Europe during WWI, there are countless stories that emerged from the conflict. Two of the more famous ones involved Wisconsin born New Yorker Charles Whittlesey and a Tennessee farmer named Alvin York. I was fortunate to walk in the footsteps of both of these men, all within an hour, and reflect on the different outcomes of their heroics - mere miles apart form each other, The details of Charles Whittlesey and the Lost Battalion can be found in many websites, books, and a critically average historical movie of the same name. (Ricky (sorry, I mean Rick) Schroeder starred as Whittlesey.) A young commanding officer, Wellesley and his troops attacked the German lines in the forest for the Meuse Argonne and became detached from communication. They were surrounded by Germans for five days, refused to surrender, suffered shelling from their won artillery, and lost many men in the process. They were able to use a messenger pigeon, Cher Ami, to relay their status at one point. They were finally able to meet up with their comrades after those five days. Of the over 500 men that entered the woods, only 194 came out - the rest lost their lives or were captured. While Whittlesley was commended for his leadership (receiving the Medal of Honor and serving as a pallbearer for the Unknown Soldier), the story takes a turn for the worse. Unable to live with the memory of what happened, he took his own life in 1921 - the tragedy of heroism. The story has always stuck me, partly because of Whittlesley's youth , partly because of the drama of the battalion, and partly because of the sorrowful ending. While it's not marked very well, I was able to visit the pocket where they fought for part of their saga. It was an intense experience to make my way down in a forested incline to stand in the same spot where they fought off German aggressors. Being all alone, I felt their detachment .. but my car was just at the top of the woods. The experience gave me new appreciation for their tragedy ... and a desire to learn more a out their story. Alvin York was probably the single greatest hero to come out of World War I. In a meadow and forest outside of Chatel-Chehery, York almost single-handedly stopped a German attack, and captured 132 German prisoners. His story has been told countless times, and he was made famous in the eponymous movie starring Gary Cooper. To follow in his footsteps, one just has to traverse the Sgt. York Trail, which offers a 3 km walking tour of York's heroics. It turned out to be my first workout of the day, and I was happy that I grabbed some hiking shoes prior to leaving Wisconsin. The trail tells York's story, including how he put his turkey shooting skills to use and taking down five approaching Germans . It's a story I've heard and read many times, but it's always great to be at the actual location of the hero of World War I. The story of the trail itself is fantastic as well, as it resulted from the tireless efforts of a few amateur historians and some Eagle Scouts. York came back to Tennessee, started a foundation, to help the people of his home state, served in the CCC, and even attempted to get back into the military. He is still a hero in Tennessee - I saw his statue in Nashville on the grounds of the state capital when I forced my kids to take a little history side tour last year. It all comes together, doesn't it? The dichotomy of the two stories and the ending of the two heroes was forefront in my mind as I traversed the ground that each trod a century ago. What would I do if I was in each of their boots? I ask myself that often when thinking about those that have served ... and I can't provide a clear answer.
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