Desmond Doss

Private First Class Desmond Doss, a Seventh Day Adventist and conscientious objector, initially considered refusal of military service in World War II due to his religious beliefs, but later agreed to serve as a medic. He was raised in a religious family whose beliefs prohibited killing. After completing the eighth grade, Desmond found employment in a lumber yard to help support his family during the Great Depression. Despite being offered a military deferment from the draft, he willingly joined the U.S. Army as a medic to "save lives", not kill. Little did the Army understand Desmond's commitment to his duty. In a major battle it's estimated that Doss single handedly saved 75 injured fellow soldiers. He accomplished this on his own by locating each injured soldier, then dragging and lowering them, one at a time, down a 400 foot cliff known as "Maeda Escarpment" or Hacksaw Ridge in the middle of the night. Doss was also later wounded 4 times in Okinawa. For his service, he was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor. What might a conscientious objector such as Doss, and a Four Star General (Patton) both have in common? Hint, its the most popular book in history.