Desmond Doss A Wartime Hero History Essay Example

Laying his life on the line, put others’ needs before his own, and did everything he could to save and aid his fellow men during the war; all without the use of a weapon. Desmond Thomas Doss was not an average US medic soldier. After feeling God call him to serve in the army Doss signed up, planning to be a medic because of his beliefs. Doss was a Seventh Day Adventist Christian, which influenced him to be a vegetarian, pacifist, and strictly observe the Sabbath. Jesus Christ said “If you love me, you will follow my commandments,” and since God commanded “thou shall not kill,” Doss believed if you truly loved God, you wouldn’t kill. So, even in the face of war, Desmond refused to protectively arm himself trusting God was the only protection he needed. Desmond Doss is a man that followed the will of God no matter the circumstance; he valued God’s opinion and direction over man’s, living his life as a reflection of Christ’s love and sacrifice and we should all seek to imitate Christ as Desmond did. 

The Doss family was a common family, they lived in the Fairview Heights area of Lynchburg. Desmond Doss was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA on February 7th, 1919. His father was William Thomas Doss and was a carpenter by trade. During the Great Depression, however, he worked at a shoe factory to provide for his family. William Doss was drafted into the first and second World Wars.  Doss’s mother, Bertha Edward Doss, had a strong influence on Desmond’s faith, as she raised him a devout Seventh Day Adventist. Doss also had an older sister Audrey Doss, and a younger brother Harlod Doss.

Greatly influenced by his Christian upbringing, Desmond showed strong character qualities even as a child that later would make him a hero. He was very tenacious, compassionate, virtuous, and benevolent. He attended a Seventh Day Adventist school until the 8th grade where he then dropped out of school to get a job to help provide and support his family during the Great Depression. He worked at the local lumber company as a boy, at the age of 18 he was drafted to join the shipyard and work there. As a boy Desmond enjoyed flattening pennies on the railroad and wrestling with his brother, however, Harold didn’t always like wrestling with Desmond. He could never beat him, and not because Desmond was skilled, but rather he never gave up. He didn’t know when to quit. This same kind of physical determination and resilience in Desmond later enabled him to save many lives. As a child, he heard over the radio about an accident down at the railroad: that a worker was very injured and losing blood. Immediately, Desmond walked 6 miles to donate blood to this complete stranger - a stranger that needed help. A few days later he went back again to give more blood. This selfless act of love and looking out for the needs of others is a strong quality in Desmond as he later puts much more at stake in order to help those in need.

In the spring of 1942, Desmond was drafted into the military. After feeling God call him to aid the cause of the war and serve his country Desmond immediately enrolled. Choosing to become a medic Desmond states that he was “in the business of saving lives, not taking them.” Desmond’s refusal to carry a gun earned him the hatred and disrespect of the rest of the soldiers in his group as well as his commanding officers. They mocked and ridiculed him and his beliefs, even calling him a coward and not man enough. Desmond never wavered in his conviction, and even though he was almost not allowed to join the ranks because of his refusal to carry arms, Desmond defended himself in trial and was granted the ability to join without a gun. Desmond was treated horribly by his fellow soldiers but he never returned the bad treatment. During the battle on Hacksaw Ridge, many of those same soldiers were injured across the field. The US troops were ordered to retreat and withdraw to regroup. Desmond, however, hearing the calls for help and seeing the many wounded but still living soldiers couldn’t bear to abandon them. While the rest of his squad retreated Desmond disobeyed orders and charged back into the battle to aid his fellow men. He would not stop until he had collapsed or died. Desmond recalled God’s hand of protection being over him in battle, as bullets would narrowly miss him or some enemy guns wouldn’t fire when aimed at him. Desmond claimed he owed everything to God and he would never have made it or been able to help all those men if it weren’t for God’s aid.