This U.S. Army Medic Fought A War Without A Weapon
His distaste of weapons and violence was rooted in his religious upbringing.
Soldiers diving headfirst into enemy territory without a rifle on hand is a phenomenon unheard of. For Desmond Doss, however, this was routine. Taking the biblical verse, “Thou shall not kill,” to be the only driving force behind his actions, Doss managed to fight three vicious battles unarmed. Surprisingly, he not only made it out alive but also fought tooth and nail to ensure that others did too. By doing so, he unintentionally laid down a new meaning to the word ‘war’ by proving it to be something that did not necessitate violence.
A Rocky Start
Born as a devout Seventh-day Adventist, it was only natural that Doss’s distaste of weapons and violence was rooted in his religious upbringing. His beliefs dictated that he not only live a life of non-violence but also indulge in a strictly vegetarian diet — both of which would prove crucial in his battle endeavors.
The start of WWII came with a dilemma for Doss; while he believed that war was necessary, the use of violence, however, was not. Regardless, following his patriotic wishes, he enlisted for the US Army on April 1st, 1942. Part of the 77th division, Doss was assigned a rifleman’s role, despite…
