The scenario Alvin York faced and his solution to it always fascinated me. His "far-to-near" solution is completely opposite to what is typically taught today as "tactical order". Alvin York developed his solution from real world experience hunting birds.One of the most intriguing stories from the Great War was Medal of Honor winner Alvin York dispatching 5 enemy soldiers who were charging his position. Armed only with a government-issue .45-caliber 1911, Sgt. York displayed great marksmanship and brilliant tactics. Instead of shooting the closest soldier and most imminent threat first, he started with the furthest soldier and worked forward. None of the approaching Germans saw the men behind them fall and continued the attack thinking that Sgt. York was shooting wildly and missing. Had the sergeant started at the front of the formation, the others would have seen his success and taken cover. Now you have a gunfight with 3 or 4 riflemen behind cover against one lone pistolero. Not good!
At a Gunsite Academy writers’ shoot, Training Director Lew Gosnell set up an “Alvin York drill” with 5 steel poppers scattered through the brush. We engaged the targets with .45 caliber pistols starting with the furthest target and working forward. Like the other writers, I cleaned all 5 targets shooting with both hands on the gun, but missed one when shooting just one handed which was the approved technique of the era. In addition, l was shooting my personal 1911 with modern accessories. My interest was piqued; would an unaltered World War I or II vintage pistol be adequate for civilian home and self-defense?
It's great that Gunsite developed a drill for this and ran through testing it with a realistic firearm!
