The man that would do such an heroic act was Desmond Thomas Doss. Doss grew up with his mom, dad, brother, and Christ. Doss would always live by the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” after almost killing his brother when roughhousing. Doss would become a pacifist later in life after almost shooting his drunken father after he threatened his mother with a gun.
Doss would enlist to be a combat medic at the start of WWII and would become a conscientious objector. A conscientious objector is someone who is opposed to bearing arms. Doss is put into basic training and would excel in everything that was physically demanding except for “Firing Week” when needed to train on how to fire a gun. He would also refuse to train on Saturdays because that was his time with God, called the Seventh-day Sabbath.
Captain Glover tried to discharge Doss because of his refusal to handle a gun. Glover was unsuccessful and Doss would then be arrested for insubordination.Doss was told by his fiance to say that he was guilty so he could come home, but Doss would refuse. Doss would be in the court when his father would barge in and show the judge that his right to not bear arms was protected by the US Constitution. All the charges on Doss would then be dropped and Doss would go into battle with nothing to protect him.
Doss would be assigned to the 77th Infantry Division. His division would relieve the 96th Infantry Division from the Battle of Okinawa, and was tasked to ascend and secure the Maeda Escarpment, also known as Hacksaw Ridge. The escarpment was 400 feet high, so they would have to climb it and secure it. Doss and his fellow soldiers secure a position in the middle of the battlefield and wait it out overnight for the Japanese’s next move. That morning the Japanese launched a counterattack and drove the Americans off the escarpment.
After the attack Doss would hear the cries of his comrades and would go back into the battlefield to save them. He would carry them all the way to the edge and would belay them down by rope, each time praying to save one more. The rest of the unit was shocked to find the wounded soldiers being lowered down. It was estimated that 75 wounded soldiers were lowered down by Doss himself. After that, Captain Glover apologized to Doss for thinking his beliefs were “cowardice.” They would retake the ridge on Saturday but wouldn’t go without Doss. Doss would agree but only after he concludes his Sabbath prayers. They would be successful in taking back the ridge and the Japanese would pretend to surrender and Doss would deflect grenades that were thrown towards the Americans. Doss would be wounded, which would get him a “Purple Heart” for being wounded during battle, and the Americans would win the battle. Doss would be lowered from the ridge with the Bible his wife gave him in his hand.
After the war, Doss would be awarded a Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman for rescuing 75 soldiers. He would then be remembered as the first conscientious objector to ever achieve a Medal of Honor.
Do you think you could ever save that many wounded men from a battle?
How did Desmond Doss’ story affect you?
A video on what belaying someone is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7hDaZfe3tQ