Having attended the comemmoration of the new York memorial at Chatel-Chehery last weekend, I was indeed pleased that Alvin C. York had been remembered and an everlasting memorial had been erected. However, there are aspects of Lt.Colonel Mastriano's claim that his site of York's fight which do not add up.
The Sergeant York Project team (http://www.sergeantyorkproject.com/) conducted professional investigations in France during 2005 and 2006. Led by Dr. Tom Nolan of MTSU, compelling evidence was discovered by that team which indicates that the true fight site of Alvin York is around 800 meters from where Mastriano has claimed it to be.
Despite offers for Mastriano to join the Project team, he declined and conducted his own investigations.
The Project team found a Unit Collar disc from the 328th Infantry Company G at their site. This does give a good and firm indication that the fight took place in that area.
No such evidence has been found by Mastriano.
It has been the intention of the York Project Team that scholars in the U.S. should, after studying the evidence, determine and make a ruling based upon the best case presented to them. Up until several weeks ago, the Army Center of Military History had agreed to publish both Dr. Nolan's paper and Lt. Colonel Mastriano's, inviting comment from all.
Dr. Nolan has since been informed his paper will not be published because it 'is not in the national interest' This appears to be a clear-cut case of the army closing ranks and protecting it's own. Needless to say, the arrangements for the erection of the Memorial at Chatel were by that time almost completed.
A professional and academic study has been shunned as have the people of the U.S. in particular those from Tennessee.
To move the memorial is not an option, but to expect scholarly examination of the findings of the York Project has to be of primary importance, the science of archaeology, geography and history demand that future generations are presented the best available picture for what took place in the Argonne forest in 1918, particularly when it involves one of America's finest.
Without scrutiny of Dr. Nolan's findings, this will not take place.
We need those who feel that there has been a wrong-doing to lobby for this wrong to be righted.
