From the Early Bird

USA Today
March 24, 2006
Pg. 3

One-Of-A-Kind World War II Hero Dies


The only conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor for non-combatant achievements in World War II died Thursday in Piedmont, Ala. Desmond Doss, 87, refused to carry a weapon during his wartime service as a medic. On May 5, 1945, the 24-year-old Seventh-day Adventist from Lynchburg, Va., stayed atop a cliff on the island of Okinawa, lowering wounded soldiers while under attack.



Home of Heroes Obituary

wow. He will be missed.

His Citation

Medal of Honor Citation from:www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohiia1.htm

DOSS, DESMOND T.

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.

Quoted:

Damn straight. Back when concientious objector meant something.

This is a TRUE loss.

What courage!

I'll bet that at first he was hated by his comrades because he refused to carry a rifle.


It's guys like this I TRULY admire.

Refused to harm his fellow man, yet wouldn't let his people down.

My kind of guy.

I am extreamly proud to say that I got to meet this man at the SDA Pathfinder International Camporee.  He shook my hand, and initialed a set of dogtags for me.

A Man who can both stand up for his country and his convictions.  I can admire that.

Quoted: A Man who can both stand up for his country and his convictions.  I can admire that.

+1!

Wow. What a story!

God Bless him.

Max

Quoted: His Citation Medal of Honor Citation from:www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohiia1.htm DOSS, DESMOND T. 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.

THAT is almost enough to make me reconsider atheism.

My hat is off to that man.  There are far too few like him in this world that we could afford to lose one.

Desmond T. Doss

The Soldier and his SWORD

"For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword...a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."  Hebrews 4:12

Amen.

RIP

Quoted: RIP

Faith under Fire

Rest in Peace

Another true hero laid to rest.

"The only conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor for non-combatant achievements in World War II "

Being a medic assigned to an infantry unit and recieving the MOH is a combat achievement.

RIP

Now THAT is a pacifist I respect.

Not the dope smoking morons rioting and "protesting".

There is nothing wrong with refusing to take a life. There IS something wrong with masking cowardice and selfishness as principle.

This man was no coward.

I imagine heaven will have something better than the CMOH for him.

RIP, sir.
What a loss.

Quoted: This is a TRUE loss. What courage! I'll bet that at first he was hated by his comrades because he refused to carry a rifle.

Not really.

From the soldiers I have talked to, they had nothing but respect for the guys who would go into the thick of things with them and not take a weapon because of conviction. Be it a chaplain or medic, the average grunt had tremendous respect for them.

They still do.

The term "doc" is a high honor in the military. It has to be earned.

It's guys like this I TRULY admire. Refused to harm his fellow man, yet wouldn't let his people down. My kind of guy.

Indeed.

He didn't believe in killing, but he DID believe in his country and doing his duty. You can't ask for a finer example of what America is supposed to be about.

A few years ago there was a show on TV about CMOH holders.  His was one of the stories told.  His Captain was really upset when he saw that he was going to get a CO as a medic and tried to get him reassigned elsewhere as he didn't want no "coward" in his unit.  (The commanding officer was relating what he thought when he saw the CO on the guys records.)  His superiors essentailly told him that he is qualified, he's your's, deal with it.  He's staying.  

Turned out he was the bravest man in the company.  Whenever he was on patrol with a squad the men always felt better becasue they knew if they were wounded, he would get to them and get them to safety.


There was another CMOH holder who died this same day.  This from the Korean war and he was a medic too.  

Rest in peace gentlemen.    

+1 for Seventh Day Adventists,

+1 for Seventh Day Adventists,

Wow, Okinawa WITHOUT a weapon...

What a brave man!

Quoted: Quoted: This is a TRUE loss. What courage! I'll bet that at first he was hated by his comrades because he refused to carry a rifle. Not really. From the soldiers I have talked to, they had nothing but respect for the guys who would go into the thick of things with them and not take a weapon because of conviction. Be it a chaplain or medic, the average grunt had tremendous respect for them. They still do. The term "doc" is a high honor in the military. It has to be earned. It's guys like this I TRULY admire. Refused to harm his fellow man, yet wouldn't let his people down. My kind of guy. Indeed. He didn't believe in killing, but he DID believe in his country and doing his duty. You can't ask for a finer example of what America is supposed to be about.

In one of his interviews, he said he did receive a lot of resentment from his fellow soldiers, but that all of that animosity quickly evaporated after their first days of combat.

Damn... What an American Hero

amazing guy . i remember reading about the guy..

a patriot . and man of convictions who went way farther on both counts than anyone i have ever heard of..

Back when concientious objector meant something.

Yes, too many stories now about people who decide "This War Is Wrong, so now I'm a concientious objector--you need to leave me back in the states in my $5k a month DC Apartment".

A true hero is gone.    Looks like our supplies are dwindling.  

It is just like John Wayne said. NOONE jacked with the Docs. In a Marine Recon squad, that man was untouchable. They all had our utmost respect , and that ain't easy for a squid to get from a Marine, believe me!

Quoted: photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=28778

+1

The men who fought with and were saved by Desmond Doss knew nothing of him until he proved himself in combat.  I'm sure they begged forgiveness after seeing what a truely remarkable man and soldier he really was.

From a few seconds of Googling:

"Each night as he knelt beside his bunk to pray, the men swore at him and threw their boots at him.  When Doss quietly read his small Bible, as he often did, the men cursed him even more.  One man even went so far as to tell him that he would personally kill Doss when they got into combat.

Not only did the men not like Doss, even though he did nothing to them, but the Army just didn’t know what to do with a soldier who would not work on Saturday, who wouldn’t carry a gun, and who didn’t eat meat. At one point, his commanding officer tried to initiate a Section Eight (unfit for military service) discharge, but Doss vehemently fought the move, saying he really did want to serve his country, he just didn’t want to kill.  He remained in the Army to the great displeasure of most of his officers and fellow soldiers. "

Another:

"Though earlier mocked and harassed by the men in his unit who didn't understand--or appreciate--Doss' commitment to non-combatancy, the young private rigged a rope and helped 75 soldiers escape a near-certain death during one of the more intense battles of the Pacific campaign. Ironically, one of the men he saved had previously tried to intimidate Doss into carrying a weapon, or have him removed as unfit for military service."

today's anti war idiots can take a page from this TRUE hero

Quoted: In one of his interviews, he said he did receive a lot of resentment from his fellow soldiers, but that all of that animosity quickly evaporated after their first days of combat.

Exactly. Once the fellows saw that men like this were facing the same battle conditions that they were, but were doing so strictly to try and save lives, they had enormous respect for them.