Desmond Doss: "War Hero Without a Gun"
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division.
Place and date: Near Urasoe Mura, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 29 April-21 May 1945.
Entered service at: Lynchburg, Va.
Birth: Lynchburg, Va.
G.O. No.: 97, 1 November 1945.
Citation: He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun 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 1 by 1 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 2 days later he treated 4 men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within 8 yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making 4 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 aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 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 1 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.
The citation only mentions part of the story. When he first joined the Army he was ridiculed and even physically assaulted for his strong convictions of not wanting to carry a weapon (he is the only conscientious objector to be awarded the medal of honor), and his convictions on keeping his seventh-day Sabbath holy. His commanding officers made several attempts to kick him out of the US Army. The same people that treated him so unfairly were some of the very men that he saved on the battlefield.
The citation mentions that he saved 75 men...yes 75 men! He dragged them several hundred yards one or two at a time then lowered down the escarpment to safety...mind you that PFC Doss was only about 150 pounds! Also, every time a soldier was on top of that escarpment that soldier would be wounded or worse in a matter of minutes. PFC Doss was unharmed while saving all 75 men on top of that escarpment. Years later, a Japanese soldier reported that he had Doss in his sites, but his rifle jammed every time he attempted to pull the trigger!
After that miraculous act of heroism his infantry company received orders to take over the escarpment several days later...which landed on Sabbath. Doss was the only medic left and his company knew his convictions. Doss made only one request...he asked to have some time to read his Bible prior to battle! His request was granted by the Brigade General!! Can you believe it...the war was put on hold for a combat medic whose faith and "sword" was thought of as of vital importance in attaining victory. They won the battle that day.
This man was truly a man who stood for truth, courage, and obedience to God even to the point of death. What has been even most inspiring is that through all the earthly praise and honor that he received he still remained a man of quiet humility...a man who I know will be counted with the meek who will inherit the earth.
Desmond Doss: A Man of Honor, A Man of God
"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."
Revelation 12:11 NKJV
Place and date: Near Urasoe Mura, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 29 April-21 May 1945.
Entered service at: Lynchburg, Va.
Birth: Lynchburg, Va.
G.O. No.: 97, 1 November 1945.
Citation: He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun 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 1 by 1 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 2 days later he treated 4 men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within 8 yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making 4 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 aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 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 1 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.
The citation only mentions part of the story. When he first joined the Army he was ridiculed and even physically assaulted for his strong convictions of not wanting to carry a weapon (he is the only conscientious objector to be awarded the medal of honor), and his convictions on keeping his seventh-day Sabbath holy. His commanding officers made several attempts to kick him out of the US Army. The same people that treated him so unfairly were some of the very men that he saved on the battlefield.The citation mentions that he saved 75 men...yes 75 men! He dragged them several hundred yards one or two at a time then lowered down the escarpment to safety...mind you that PFC Doss was only about 150 pounds! Also, every time a soldier was on top of that escarpment that soldier would be wounded or worse in a matter of minutes. PFC Doss was unharmed while saving all 75 men on top of that escarpment. Years later, a Japanese soldier reported that he had Doss in his sites, but his rifle jammed every time he attempted to pull the trigger!
After that miraculous act of heroism his infantry company received orders to take over the escarpment several days later...which landed on Sabbath. Doss was the only medic left and his company knew his convictions. Doss made only one request...he asked to have some time to read his Bible prior to battle! His request was granted by the Brigade General!! Can you believe it...the war was put on hold for a combat medic whose faith and "sword" was thought of as of vital importance in attaining victory. They won the battle that day.
This man was truly a man who stood for truth, courage, and obedience to God even to the point of death. What has been even most inspiring is that through all the earthly praise and honor that he received he still remained a man of quiet humility...a man who I know will be counted with the meek who will inherit the earth.
Desmond Doss: A Man of Honor, A Man of God"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."
Revelation 12:11 NKJV
1 comment:
What an amazing story! I am in tears. All things truly are possible with the Lord. I can't imagine the courage it takes to do something like that. Thanks for posting his story.
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