The Conscientious Objector – A Reminder
Many hear or see the words “I’m a conscientious objector.” and think of hippies and draft dodgers, and rightly so. But there have been others who could use that phrase with no small honor.
I was reminded of that today when I stumbled across the name below. I remember reading about him years ago. Reckon maybe others here might not have heard of him?
Desmond T. Doss (February 7, 1919–March 23, 2006) was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor and one of only three so honored (the others are Thomas W. Bennett and Joseph G. LaPointe, Jr.). He was a Corporal (Private First Class at the time of his Medal of Honor heroics) in the U.S. Army assigned to the Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division.
Desmond Doss refused to kill, or carry a weapon into combat, because of his personal beliefs as a Seventh-day Adventist. He thus became a medic, and by serving in the Pacific theatre of World War II helped his country by saving the lives of his comrades, while also adhering to his religious convictions.
His Medal of Honor was earned by the risks he took to save the lives of many comrades.
Now there is a documentary about him.
It’s on my to-watch list.
Category: Historical, Military issues, Real Soldiers, Religion, War Stories
I’ll admint I’m not a great speller when I’m typing fast, but I think you misspelled “Reminder” in your title.
Sorry, should have written “admit” instead of “admint”. See what I mean about my spelling?
Different generation, you know? CO these days is an excuse not to serve instead of a true moral stand. Doss’ citation is actually one of the most amazing I’ve ever read, up there with Roy Benavidez.
Wasn’t Alvin York a concientous objector draftee… I remember hearing he earned a MoH once too….
Different time, different definition. This is going my to-watch list as well.
Weird. You mean he didn’t desert or bail on his obligations?
I wonder where THAT courage came from. But sadly, I also wonder where that’s gone for too many of our youth today.
God Bless you, Desmond. You accomplished so much against great odds and kept all of your principles intact in what must have been extremely tough times for you personally.
Nevyan-
York started out as a concientious objector, coming from a pacifist religious background, but changed his stance after weighing “Thou Shalt Not Kill” against “Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”