“The other men hated him for not pulling KP on Saturday,” said Speer, adding that Doss was forced to make up for it during the week by doing extra KP and cleaning latrines.įellow soldiers threw shoes at Doss when he knelt beside his bunk and prayed. His religious convictions made him an immediate misfit in boot camp, where he was exempt from KP and other duties on Saturdays because his denomination’s Sabbath runs from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. “I didn’t want to be known as a draft dodger, but I sure didn’t know what I was getting into.” “I felt like it was an honor to serve God and country,” he told the Richmond Times Dispatch in 1998. Offered a deferment from military service to continue his work, he turned it down and registered for the draft as a conscientious objector.ĭoss, however, preferred to be considered a “conscientious cooperator,” telling the draft board that, although he was not willing to kill, he was more than willing to serve. “He was not proud of himself for what he had done he was proud that God was able to use him to save so many lives.”Ī native of Lynchburg, Va., Doss was working in a Newport News, Va., shipyard when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. This movie, 1 hour and 20 minutes, will inspire and challenge you.“Desmond was a very humble man,” Pastor Les Speer, a longtime friend, told The Times. When Company B learned he had lost his Bible, under heavy enemy fire, they searched and searched the ground until they found Desmond Doss’ Bible so that they could return it to him. In the mayhem, Desmond realized later, he had lost his lifeline–his little pocket Bible that had sustained him through all of his trials. As Doss put his arm around the other soldier’s neck to give support, a bullet slammed into his arm, shattering it, but saving the other man’s life. Desmond rolled off his stretcher and commanded his men to carry off the other soldier. As he was being carried off the field, he saw an injured unconscious soldier. One more story to close:ĭesmond was severely injured. There are many other stories his men tell, as they recount his heroic. He is a beautiful human being and this movie is well worth your time and energy. This man’s Faith was so strong, the Lord protected him. One Japanese soldier reported that every single time he tried to kill Doss his gun would jam. He carried every single one of them and lowered them 70 feet off the mountain. Under heavy fire so thick it would cut canteens and men in half, Desmond Doss for the next 12 hours saved all 75 of his men. 50 Americans retreated, and the other 75 men were on top of a mountain injured and dying. THE incident, though, that earned him the Medal of Honor, was in a particular vicious battle in Okinawa where the Americans were routed. His Officers even asked if they won the right ridge because they couldn’t believe no one was even injured! Doss requested that they all pray, and when they did, not one of them was killed and they were successful in their objective. In one incident, his Company was sent in directly after another Company had been decimated in battle. Under heavy fire and at night, the worst time to go out, Desmond would crawl around healing those wounded, even “the enemy.” Desmond soon became beloved by the same men who tried to kick him out because he would save their lives under the craziest, most dangerous circumstances War can possibly make. His Infantry unit was shipped out to the Pacific to fight the Japanese. As one man said, “I don’t want you at my side if you don’t carry a damn gun!” Desmond prevailed and was allowed to stay in and serve as a Medic Without Arms. His Officers even tried to kick Desmond out because they felt he was a complete waste of their time and energy since he refused to carry a weapon. His Army Officers were absolutely outraged that Desmond refused to hold a gun and that Desmond would worship on Saturday no matter what. You can imagine what type of abuse he experienced for his belief amongst his Army comrades. But he wanted to honor and save life so he joined specifically as a medic, but unlike other medics, he refused to carry a gun. He is a devout Seventh Day Adventist who took the Lord’s Commandment “Thou Shalt Not Kill” seriously. He did not want to kill because he did not believe in killing. When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Desmond Doss wanted to serve his country and his freedoms there was only one slight problem.
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