Who is Richard Doss?

Doss, born in 1919, was raised with a strong belief in the Bible and the Ten Commandments, attending a Seventh-day Adventist church. He held particularly strong views against killing and working on the sabbath, which as a Seventh-day Adventist, he observed on Saturday.

What kind of training did Doss have to go through?

In spite of his conscientious objector status, Doss was required to undergo the usual basic training. He was allowed to forgo weapons training, and even received a pass to attend church on his Saturday Sabbath.

What happened to Doss at Hacksaw Ridge?

Doss stands on the top of the escarpment at Hacksaw Ridge on May 4. Photo courtesy of the US Army. By May 5, the fighting intensified to the point that all men were ordered to retreat. Doss refused. An estimated 75 men remained behind, too wounded to retreat under their own power.

Who was Desmond T Doss?

Desmond T. Doss of Lynchburg, Virginia, was one of those men, though he personally shunned the title of conscientious objector. Doss, born in 1919, was raised with a strong belief in the Bible and the Ten Commandments, attending a Seventh-day Adventist church.

How was Doss treated by his unit?

Ostracized by his unit, and bullied by both enlisted men and his commanding officers, Doss held on to his faith and was an exemplary soldier. Several attempts were made to remove the man they felt was a coward and a detriment to the unit.

Why did Doss apply for a deferment?

When the United States entered the war, Doss was working at the Newport News Naval Shipyard. It would have been easy in 1942 for Doss to apply for a deferment, and many would have expected as much from someone who refused to bear arms against another. Doss, however, felt a calling to serve his country and to help his fellow man.

Why did Daniel Doss decide to join the military?

Doss, however, felt a calling to serve his country and to help his fellow man. When he was drafted in the spring of 1942, Doss did not refuse enlistment on the grounds of being a conscientious objector.

Who gave Desmond Doss the Medal of Honor?

Promoted after Okinawa, then-Corporal Desmond Doss shakes hands with President Harry S. Truman after receiving the Medal of Honor. Photo courtesy of the US National Archives. On October 12, 1945, President Harry S. Truman presented Doss with the Medal of Honor in a ceremony on the White House lawn.

What did William Doss do in WW2?

In 1944, Doss shipped out, bound for the Pacific as a member of the medical detachment of the 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division. Although Doss would become known for his actions on Okinawa, the bloody battle there was not his first.

Why did Daniel Doss get a Bronze Star?

The men who had threatened to kill Doss in boot camp quickly realized the value of their Bible-carrying medic. For his bravery in treating wounded men under fire during the fighting in Guam, Doss was awarded a Bronze Star for valor. After Guam, the 307th fought at Leyte.

Was Joseph Doss a conscientious objector?

When he was drafted in the spring of 1942, Doss did not refuse enlistment on the grounds of being a conscientious objector. In fact, he believed the war was just and desired to do his part, but for him that meant saving lives, not taking them, and thus Doss was known to describe himself as a “conscientious cooperator.”