Desmond Thomas Doss

How did Desmond Doss inspire?

But when it came time for war Desmond put the bad things behind and many of the lives he had saved were the men that treated him poorly earlier on. Desmond Doss is an inspiration because of his selflessness, his forgiveness, and that he never killed anyone while on duty.13 Feb 2018

How is Desmond Doss a hero?

Doss successfully rescued 75 men trapped at the top of the escarpment by lowering them with a special knot he knew. He had miraculously not been wounded and stayed in the fight with B Company. On May 21, Doss was wounded several times by grenade fragments and a sniper's bullet through his arm.12 Oct 2020

What was the impact of Desmond Doss?

Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.

What are the qualities of Desmond Doss?

soft-spoken, humorous, just, strong-willed, and patient. Desmond is one of the most genuine people around. His subtle charm is what makes him likeable, even if others disagree with his beliefs.

Is Desmond Doss a legend?

For his superhuman heroics at the bloody Battle of Okinawa between April 29 and May 21, 1945, Doss would become an eternal legend. During the struggle for the island of Okinawa, Doss' battalion climbed up cargo nets to ascend a 400-foot-high jagged cliff.

Is Desmond a hero?

Desmond Doss is an American hero is because he is special. Despite the fact he didn't bring weapons to the war, he went through with his courage, and saved more than 70 people, including the Japanese soldiers

Desmond Thomas Doss

It was an ugly, brutal scene in Okinawa, Japan, as guns fired, blood spilled and bodies dropped. Despite the carnage, a 26-year-old man repeatedly hurled himself into danger, running into harm's way to retrieve his fallen comrades and carry them to safety. Even more admirably, he was without a single weapon.

The battle described took place during World War II. The brave and heroic man who selflessly risked his own life for the lives of his countrymen was Desmond Thomas Doss, perhaps more commonly known as the first conscientious objector to win the United States' most prestigious military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Doss was born in Lynchburg, Virginia on February 7, 1919. He was raised in a religious household and grew into a devoutly Christian man. He was a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and lived in strict accordance with the Ten Commandments, especially the sixth one, “Thou shalt not kill.”

When World War II broke out and he was drafted in April 1942 after working in a shipyard, he was granted conscientious objector status when he refused to bear arms as it was a violation of his religious principles. He was adamant that he would never take the life of a fellow human, and as a result, he became a medic. It was the only way he could adhere to the Sixth Commandment while still fulfilling his patriotic duties.

Doss was thrust into the heart of war in 1944 when he was sent to Guam with the 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. He showed traces of heroism while on the Micronesian island when, for over several months, he braved the harsh elements and the ceaseless gunfire to rescue the wounded soldiers and bring them to safety. He did the same on the island of Leyte in the Philippines, and for his efforts, he earned the Bronze Star Medal.

But the events that would ultimately lead to his Congressional Medal of Honor unfolded on the Japanese island of Okinawa in 1945. On April 29, a heavy assault on American soldiers left approximately 75 seriously injured. The attack took place on a high summit and as detailed in a Washington Post article by Adam Bernstein following Doss's 2006 passing, Doss immediately leapt into action.

"Refusing cover, Mr. Doss carried each of the 75 casualties one-by-one to the edge of the cliff and helped lower them by rope to safety."

His brave behavior didn't end on April 29. As Bernstein reported, "He continued similar rescue missions over the following days, also tending to the wounded by administering plasma as mortar fire struck around him. During a nighttime attack [on] May 21 near Shuri, he received injuries from a grenade blast. Instead of risking the larger mission, he spent hours nursing his wounds. Seeing a soldier in worse condition nearby, he directed help to tend to that man first."

Doss voluntarily delayed his own treatment in the interest of helping a compatriot. While he waited for litter-bearers to reach him, he was attacked by a sniper. A bullet shattered his arm bone and to treat himself, he rigged up a rudimentary splint and crawled to an aid station without assistance.

When Doss returned to the U.S., he was presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Harry Truman. As the official citation for his award indicates, "Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions, PFC (Private First Class) Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty."

Although he was healthy enough to accept his award in late 1945, a New York Times article by Richard Goldstein stated that Doss spent more than five years in hospitals for treatment from wounds endured overseas. He lost a lung on account of tuberculosis as well.

The same New York Times article, which was posted on March 26, 2006, also detailed the harassment Doss faced from his fellow soldiers for his devotion to prayer.

Doss, who later worked with young people in church-sponsored programs, died at the age of 87 on March 23, 2006, at his home in Piedmont, Alabama. He had a respiratory ailment, which was made reference to in Bernstein's article.

Goldstein's article also noted that Doss' wife Frances announced his death, and that he was survived by her, one son, three stepchildren, and several step grandchildren and step great-grandchildren.

His story was previously brought to the screen in the 2004 documentary Conscientious Objector, but will again be conveyed in the feature film Hacksaw Ridge. Mel Gibson directed the movie, which stars Andrew Garfield as Desmond. Co-stars include Hugo Weaving, Sam Worthington, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn and Rachel Griffiths. The writer-director of Conscientious Objector, Terry Benedict, is on board as a producer.

``I don't know how I'm going to live with myself if I don't stay true to what I believe.´´

-Desmond Doss

I chose Desmond Doss because he was a hero in the 2nd world war and he saved many soldiers in his war effort. My book is a biography; my book is 199 pages long This book covers Desmond Doss's 4 years in the US army from the span of 1942 to 1946, The book I'm reading was written on January 1st, 1967 The author's name is Booten Herdon and he served in the US army thru 1943-1945.

Desmond Doss was born and raised in Lynchburg Virginia United states his parents' names are William Thomas Doss(dad) and Bertha Edward Doss(mom)

Desmond Doss went to Park Avenue Seventh-day Adventist Church School.

When he wasn't at school he would pray and play with his brother. A story from when he was a child is that when he was play fighting with his brother, he accidentally hit him with a brick. When he was growing up, his dad influenced his Christian faith. His dream was to be an army medic. Desmond Doss wanted to be an army medic growing up his army career was foreshadowed by him seeing a United States army poster.

A big challenge for Desmond Doss was getting into the army with his Christian dad who did not believe in war, which made it hard to convince his dad. A  big challenge in joining the army was that he did not want to harm anyone; something that described his success was when he hit his brother with a brick, he never wanted to harm any more people. A few of his qualities were his honor, bravery and pure heart. One of his weaknesses was that whenever he was getting shot at, he wouldn't pick up a rifle but that isn't a bad thing either. A funny thing about Desmond was that he was very funny and would make jokes regularly. Desmond Doss had received the purple heart and the bronze star for valour.

One thing that surprised me about Desmond Doss is that when he hit his brother with the brick he knocked his brother out and it was also crazy that he saved over 75 men at Hacksaw Ridge.

I don't really have any questions that I would ask Desmond Doss either then what is it like knowing that you saved so many people's lives? I would want to be his kid knowing he was a hero but I wouldn't cause he died in 2006. An important fact about Desmond Doss is that he was promoted to corporal. One thing that Desmond Doss inspires me to do is never give up and always be brave. I wouldn't say anyone wouldn't want to learn about Desmond Doss but if you don't like history, you may not like a book on a historic person. I am happy to do this person as my hero because writing and learning more about him is a great thing to do. I would consider Desmond Doss my hero but not a role model just because I don't want to go to war when I'm older. 

Here are some rare and lesser-known facts about Desmond Doss that make his story even more remarkable:

1.      Carried a Bible and Prayer Book into Battle – Doss went into every battle with his Bible and a small prayer book given to him by his wife, Dorothy. Even when he lost everything else during combat, he clung to his Bible as his greatest source of strength.

2.      Severely Wounded but Still Helped Others – In Okinawa, he was hit by a grenade and later shot in the arm by a sniper. Instead of calling for help, he treated his own wounds and waited for others to be rescued first. When finally being carried away, he noticed another injured soldier and insisted on giving up his stretcher so the man could be saved before him.

3.      Faced Hostility in Training – Before becoming a war hero, Doss endured bullying from fellow soldiers during training. They mocked him for refusing to carry a gun and even threatened his life. Ironically, many of the same men later owed their lives to his bravery on Hacksaw Ridge.

4.      Lost His Medal of Honor Bible – The Bible his wife gave him was lost when he was wounded and evacuated. Amazingly, soldiers from his company searched the battlefield and recovered it, returning it to him as a symbol of their respect and gratitude.

5.      Lived with War Injuries All His Life – Doss’s injuries left him with permanent damage, including losing a lung to tuberculosis he contracted during the war. He spent years in hospitals and endured lifelong pain, yet he never regretted his decision to serve without a weapon.

6.      First Conscientious Objector Honored – Doss was the first conscientious objector (he preferred the term “conscientious cooperator”) to receive the Medal of Honor, setting a precedent for honoring soldiers who contribute to war efforts without violating their beliefs.

Modesty Until the End – Despite worldwide recognition, Doss lived humbly, farming and living quietly in Alabama. He avoided the spotlight, often saying that what he did was only his duty to God and his fellow soldiers.