Desmond Doss
US soldier and Medal of Honor recipient (1919–2006) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Desmond Thomas Doss (February 7, 1919 – March 23, 2006)[1] was an American United States Army corporal who served as a combat medic with an infantry company in World War II. Due to his religious beliefs, he refused to carry a weapon.
Desmond Doss | |
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Birth name | Desmond Thomas Doss |
Born | (1919-02-07)February 7, 1919 Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S. |
Died | March 23, 2006(2006-03-23) (aged 87) Piedmont, Alabama, U.S. |
Buried | Chattanooga National Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tennessee |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1942–1946 |
Rank | Corporal |
Service number | 33158036 |
Unit | Company B, 1st Battalion, 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division |
Battles/wars | |
Awards | Medal of Honor Bronze Star Medal (2) Purple Heart (3) |
Spouse(s) |
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Children | Desmond Doss Jr. (b. 1946) |
He was twice awarded the Bronze Star Medal for actions on Guam and in the Philippines. Doss further distinguished himself in the Battle of Okinawa by saving an estimated 75 men,[lower-alpha 1] acting on his own, becoming the first of only three conscientious objectors to receive the Medal of Honor for this and other actions.[lower-alpha 2]
His life has been the subject of books, the 2004 documentary The Conscientious Objector, and the 2016 Oscar-winning film Hacksaw Ridge, in which he was portrayed by Andrew Garfield.