Desmond T. Doss, Sr

Conscientious objector who received U.S. Medal of Honour dies

Calhoun, Georgia/USA, | 24.03.2006 | APD | International

Desmond T. Doss Sr., the only conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honour for non-combatant achievements in World War II, died March 23. He was 87.

His death was announced by Seventh-day Adventist Church officials in Calhoun, not far from the northwest Georgia town of Rising Fawn where Doss lived for many years.

Doss, who refused to carry a weapon during his wartime service as a medic, was the subject of a 2004 documentary, "The Conscientious Objector" and a previously published book, "The Unlikeliest Hero."

A memorial service was set at 3 p.m. April 1 at the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Collegedale, Tennessee.

Desmond Doss receives the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1945 from US President Harry S. Truman.

On October 12, 1945, Doss was invited to the White House to receive the Medal of Honour from President Harry S. Truman for his bravery on May 5, 1945. As a 24-year-old medic from Lynchburg, Va., Doss stayed atop a cliff on the island of Okinawa, lowering down wounded soldiers under Japanese attack.

Doss was a Seventh-day Adventist member from childhood and Dr. Ed Wright, president of the Georgia-Cumberland Conference of the Protestant denomination, described him as a "real inspiration to our church and specifically several generations of young people. He was a very humble man, deeply convicted as to not bearing arms."

Pastor John Swafford of Calhoun, a personal friend, said Doss died in Piedmont, Alabama., where he and his wife, Francis, had been staying with her family. Swafford said Doss is also survived by a son, Desmond T. Doss Jr.

A statement released by Adventist church officials said "Doss never liked being called a conscientious objector. He preferred the term conscientious co-operator."

The statement said Doss "voluntarily joined the Army as a conscientious objector. Assigned to the 307th Infantry Division as a company medic he was harassed and ridiculed for his beliefs, yet he served with distinction."

On July 4, 2004, a statue of Doss was placed in the National Museum of Patriotism in Atlanta. A feature movie describing Doss' story is planned.

Pastor Don Schneider, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America, said that Doss "is considered to be a role model - especially to many of our members in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. His decision to not bear arms in the most dangerous of times was a courageous and heroic decision that has in turn affected many lives. We are proud to have had Desmond as a member of our Church."

Related Links:

U.S. Congressional Medal of Honour: www.cmohs.org

Film documentary, "The Conscientious Objector": www.desmonddoss.com

© 2006 Adventist Press Service (APD), with news material from the Associated Press (AP)

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