Desmond Thomas Doss, a United States Army corporal, served as a combat medic in an infantry company during World War II. Guided by his steadfast Seventh-day Adventist beliefs, Doss refused to bear arms despite the dangerous realities of war. His unwavering commitment to his principles and his remarkable courage on the battlefield earned him a place in history as one of the most extraordinary conscientious objectors to serve in the U.S. military.

RIGHT: Desmond Doss Point, Okinawa, Japan today. Also known as "Hacksaw Ridge," the site of Desmond Doss's heroism during the Battle of Okinawa. Photograph licensed to War History Network (Click to enlarge).

Doss' military career began on April 1, 1942, when he joined the Army at Camp Lee, Virginia, despite being eligible for a deferment due to his work at a shipyard. He was later assigned to the 77th Infantry Division, training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. His decision to enlist stemmed from a deep sense of duty to his country, even though his religious convictions prohibited him from carrying a weapon. Designated as a medic, Doss served in the 2nd Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division. Meanwhile, his brother Harold served in a separate capacity aboard the USS Lindsey.

During the Pacific War, Doss' heroism became evident as he provided critical medical aid in campaigns across Guam and the Philippines, actions that earned him the Bronze Star Medal on two occasions. However, it was in April 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, that Doss demonstrated exceptional valor.

Tasked with taking a critical position on a 400-foot-high escarpment known as Hacksaw Ridge, Doss' unit faced entrenched Japanese forces prepared for intense resistance. The sheer cliffs and concealed enemy positions made it one of the most challenging terrains to conquer. As the battle raged for weeks, Doss repeatedly risked his life to tend to the wounded under active enemy fire. Often placing himself in the line of fire, he dressed injuries and transported soldiers to safety, exhibiting extraordinary bravery.

One week into the campaign, during an assault coinciding with his Sabbath, Doss was the only medic remaining with the unit as they advanced. When a ferocious counterattack forced the Americans to retreat, Doss refused to leave the injured behind. Instead, he single-handedly retrieved his wounded comrades, moving them to the edge of the ridge and lowering them to safety using a makeshift rope sling. Working tirelessly, he is credited with saving approximately 75 lives during this operation. His prayer, "Dear God, let me get just one more man," underscored his determination and faith in the midst of relentless gunfire.

Doss' courage extended beyond the dramatic rescues at Hacksaw Ridge. Later in the campaign, he was severely wounded by grenade shrapnel, yet he chose to treat his injuries and waited five hours for evacuation. On his way to the aid station, Doss insisted another critically injured soldier take his place on the stretcher. Despite being struck by sniper fire, which shattered his arm as he continued on foot, Doss improvised a splint using a rifle stock and reached safety.

RIGHT: Corporal Desmond Doss, CMOH Winner, U.S. Army, and his wife Dorothy in 1945. Photograph in the Public Domain (Click to enlarge).

Amid the chaos of battle, Doss' brave actions led to a mix-up, and he was mistakenly reported deceased—a claim that even reached the front pages of newspapers in his hometown of Lynchburg, Virginia. He clarified his survival with a letter to his mother, dispelling the misinformation.

Following the war, Doss returned to the United States to receive further medical treatment, including the removal of a bullet from his shattered arm. On October 12, 1945, in Washington, D.C., President Harry Truman personally awarded him the Medal of Honor in recognition of his unparalleled bravery and selfless service. Doss became the first conscientious objector to receive this distinguished honor, setting a precedent for two others who would later follow.

CITATION

He was a company aidman when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high. As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them one by one to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands. On 2 May, he exposed himself to heavy rifle and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and two days later he treated four men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within eight yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making four separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety. On 5 May, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small-arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small-arms fire, and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire. On 21 May, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aidman from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited five hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers' return, he was again struck, this time suffering a compound fracture of one arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station. 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.

NOTES

"Desmond Doss: The Real Story." Desmond Doss: The Conscientious Objector. Accessed May 4, 2022. https://desmonddoss.com/bio/bio-real.php.

"Desmond Thomas Doss Collection." The Library of Congress. Accessed May 2, 2022. https://www.loc.gov/collections/veterans-history-project-collection/serving-our-voices/occupations-and-specialties-in-service/healing-with-honor-medical-personnel/medical-support/item/afc2001001.32978/.

"Pfc. Desmond Doss: The Unlikely Hero Behind 'Hacksaw Ridge'." Www.army.mil. Accessed May 5, 2022. https://www.army.mil/article/183328/pfc_desmond_doss_the_unlikely_hero_behind_hacksaw_ridge.