[91B]

By 1961, Alvin York, one of America’s greatest military heroes, was partially paralyzed, almost completely blind, and virtually penniless. The American government, through the Internal Revenue Service, repaid its debt by suing York for back taxes. The IRS claimed that York’s royalties from the movie, most of which had gone to charity, should be taxed at a higher rate than York had used. In all, the IRS claimed York owed the U.S. government $85,442, plus an additional $87,155 in interest.

Sigh.

[maxwellp]

If Alvin York was alive today and the IRS pulled that stunt on him, thanks to the Internet, FR, Rush, etc., patriotic Americans would scream so loud, the IRS would be forced to leave him alone. Just like we're protecting President Reagan now and it looks like we're doing a pretty good job -CBS wants to unload the mini-series.

[Held_to_Ransom]

In all, the IRS claimed York owed the U.S. government $85,442, plus an additional $87,155 in interest.

They might have gotten it too off his estate. An interesting question.

In the movie, the York character decides that it's right to fight a war to end all war. In real life, it would seem Alvin was moved to try and not profit off the fame the war brought him. No doubt a feeling that was only intensified with the continuation of war up and through World War II.

In December of 1918, the Literary Digest noted the 'if all the men killed in the war on all sides were to march down Fifth Avenue twenty abreast, from sunup to sundown every day, it would take four months for them to pass in review.'

Lucky for the politicians and world leaders they never could.