Who was the medic who didn't kill people in WW2?
Asked by: scraper | Last update: July 27, 2026Score: 0/5 (0 votes)
The medic you are thinking of is U.S. Army Corporal Desmond Doss. A devout Seventh-day Adventist, he served as a combat medic in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Because of his religious beliefs, he refused to carry a weapon or kill an enemy soldier.
Who was the most famous medic in WWII?
Desmond Doss is widely considered the most famous medic of World War II. A Seventh-day Adventist who refused to carry a weapon, Doss served as a combat medic in the Pacific, ultimately saving approximately 75 lives at Hacksaw Ridge in Okinawa without firing a single shot. He was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor.
How many did Desmond Doss actually save?
Over the course of the battle, he single-handedly saved at least 75 to 100 wounded soldiers, lowering them one by one down the sheer cliff to safety. Despite suffering his own injuries, he remained steadfast in his mission to save lives. Doss was wounded four times during the Battle of Okinawa, but he never wavered.
What was Desmond Doss' famous quote?
Desmond Doss, the WWII Army medic and first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor, was most famous for the prayer he repeated while rescuing wounded men on Hacksaw Ridge:
Who was the medic who didn't carry a weapon in ww2?
You are likely thinking of Desmond Doss, an Army combat medic who famously refused to carry a weapon due to his religious beliefs.
The Medic Who fought a War without a Weapon
Why did Desmond Doss never touch a gun?
Desmond Doss refused to touch or carry a gun during World War II because of his deep religious convictions as a Seventh-day Adventist, which forbade him from killing or carrying a weapon.
Is Desmond Doss still alive today?
Desmond Doss passed away on March 23, 2006, at the age of 87. The World War II combat medic and Medal of Honor recipient—whose unarmed heroism on Okinawa inspired the film Hacksaw Ridge—is buried in the Chattanooga National Cemetery in Tennessee.
What did Doss whisper?
After every rescue, he whispered the same words: “Dear God, let me get just one more man.” By dawn, 75 soldiers were alive because of him. Army officials later claimed there was time to save only 50. Doss insisted otherwise. They settled on 75.
Was Desmond Doss mocked?
For much of World War II, Desmond Doss was mocked by his fellow American soldiers. A member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Doss refused to carry a gun, much less kill anyone. This earned him the ridicule of many of his comrades, who told him to "man up" and hold a rifle.
What disability did Desmond Doss have?
Post-war life
After an overdose of antibiotics rendered him completely deaf in 1976, he was given 100% disability; he was able to regain his hearing after receiving a cochlear implant in 1988. Despite his injuries, he managed to raise a family on a small farm in Rising Fawn, Georgia.
Did Desmond Doss ever marry?
Yes, Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss was married twice. He married his first wife, Dorothy Pauline Schutte, on August 17, 1942, and they remained married for 49 years until her death in 1991. Following her death, he remarried on July 1, 1993, to Frances May Duman.
Why were soldiers given condoms in WWII?
Soldiers were primarily issued condoms during World War II to protect troops from venereal diseases (VD), such as syphilis and gonorrhea. With millions of young men stationed far from home, military leaders realized that sexually transmitted infections presented a massive threat to troop readiness, often keeping thousands of soldiers out of action.
Did the Japanese really target medics in WWII?
The Japanese forces, however, made an intentional effort to target American corpsmen. To keep themselves and their patients alive, corpsmen in the Pacific began to abandon their Red Cross insignia, and in addition to their medical bags, they started to carry M1911 pistols.
What happened to Desmond Doss after the war?
Desmond Doss spent his post-war years battling severe, long-term health issues caused by his service in the Pacific. Despite losing a lung, five ribs, and his hearing, he lived a quiet, dedicated life raising a family in Georgia until his passing in 2006.
Who died 2 minutes before WW1 ended?
Canadian Private George Lawrence Price is generally recognized as the last Commonwealth soldier killed in World War I, dying at 10:58 a.m. on November 11, 1918—just two minutes before the 11 a.m. armistice. A 25-year-old soldier with the 28th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, he was fatally shot by a German sniper in Ville-sur-Haine, Belgium.
Was homosexuality accepted in WW1?
Homosexuality was strictly illegal and socially condemned during World War I. While intimate, same-sex bonds occasionally formed in the trenches, servicemen and women faced severe consequences—including imprisonment, corporal punishment, and military discharge.
Why couldn't Doss touch a gun?
Desmond Doss refused to touch or carry a gun during World War II because of his deep religious convictions as a Seventh-day Adventist, which forbade him from killing or carrying a weapon.
What made the Battle of Okinawa so horrific?
Often referred to as the "Typhoon of Steel," the Battle of Okinawa (April–June 1945) was the bloodiest campaign in the Pacific War. Its unparalleled horror stemmed from a combination of fanatical enemy resistance, massive devastating kamikaze attacks, grueling environmental conditions, and the tragic mass involvement of trapped civilians.
Was Desmond Doss court martialed in real life?
Desmond Doss was never court-martialed. While his commanding officers initially attempted to have him court-martialed for refusing to bear arms and train with a rifle, the charges were dismissed because as a combat medic, his right to non-combatant status was protected.
Are any of the men Desmond Doss saved still alive?
No, none of the soldiers Desmond Doss saved during the Battle of Okinawa are still alive. Because those rescues took place in May 1945, all of the men he aided have since passed away due to old age and natural causes.
Did Desmond Doss believe in Jesus?
Unlike the treatment Christianity so often receives at the hands of Hollywood movie makers, Hacksaw Ridge neither downplays Desmond Doss' Christian faith nor minimizes or ridicules his beliefs. Instead, the movie very carefully, respectfully and accurately portrays Doss' faith in God.
What parts of Hacksaw Ridge are not true?
While Hacksaw Ridge is based on the remarkable true story of Desmond Doss, filmmakers heavily altered several timelines and relationships to build dramatic tension. Key fabrications include:
Did Desmond Doss have two wives?
' Doss' best friend and wife Dorothy died in November 1991. Without his hearing and beginning to lose his sight, Doss was alone and almost without a way to communicate. On July 1, 1993, Desmond and Frances Doss were married, and Frances remained by his side for the rest of his life.
What was the craziest thing Desmond Doss did?
A man so deeply devoted to his beliefs that he wouldn't even touch a gun—not even to save his own life. But that night, while hell rained down around him, Desmond did something no one thought possible. One by one, under relentless enemy fire, he dragged wounded soldiers to the edge of that cliff. Seventy-five men.
Did Desmond Doss get remarried?
Yes, Desmond Doss remarried on July 1, 1993, to Frances May Duman. This marriage occurred after his first wife, Dorothy Pauline Schutte, died in a car accident in November 1991. Frances Duman remained with Doss until his death on March 23, 2006.