Friday, March 29, 2024
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Local Park Rangers Traveling to France to Honor Sgt. York

Several Tennessee State Park Rangers are traveling to France this week to explore the history of World War I Sergeant Alvin C. York.

Josh Waggener is the Park Manager at the Alvin C. York State Historic Park in Pall Mall. He said he looks forward to retracing York’s steps when he served overseas.

“For the past several years, Tennessee State Parks, the York State Historical Park, York Patriotic Foundation, and the York Family have been hard at work making sure to keep the story of Sgt. York alive,” Waggener said. “Being allowed to go overseas and take part firsthand in keeping this story alive is an incredible opportunity for myself and Tennessee State Parks.”

Waggener said Pall Mall’s sister city – Chatel-Chehery, France – will host ceremonies throughout the weekend in honor of those who served in World War I. The ceremonies commemorate the 100th anniversary of when Sgt. York led 16 soldiers through the trenches of the battlefield, capturing four German officers and 128 soldiers.

“Our goal is to retrace some of the steps that Sgt. York took on his way to his fateful moment in the armed guard on Oct. 8, 1918,” Waggener said. “We’ll hopefull take part of all the ceremonies and commemoration events involving Sgt. York’s actions in the armed honor on Oct. 8 where he was involved in a fight and ended up being awarded the medal of honor.”

The Tennessee rangers will use social media to stay connected and provide updates during their trip.

“We wanted to use social media to have as a platform in taking videos to record and document our journey so all the people back home who didn’t have the opportunity to make this trip can see where Sgt. York fought,” Waggener said. “We’re hoping to connect all the way across the ocean to the people of the Upper Cumberland where Sgt. York was 100 years ago.”

Waggener said the trip will be the first time representatives from the historic park in Pall Mall attend the ceremonies in France.

“Representatives of the family and the York Patriotic Foundation have gone over in the past, but this is the first time that state parks will be sending a few representatives to take part in the ceremony,” Waggener said. “It is the 100th anniversary, so this will probably be the biggest one that occurs in our lifetime.”

Updates will be posted on the park’s Facebook page from Oct. 3-8 documenting the events as they take place. Events will also take place at the park in Pall Mall next week.

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