“The Birth of Hacksaw Ridge”: The Inspirational Story of a Devout Hero

“The Birth of Hacksaw Ridge: How It All Began” by Gregory Crosby and Gene Church is a book about the childhood and teenage years of Desmond Doss, a much-admired and well-known hero of the 20th century who served as a combat medic in the US Army. This is a beautiful story about how he adhered to his principles as a Christian and saved many lives without lifting a weapon.

Corporal Desmond T. Doss was the first “conscientious objector” to receive America’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, which was presented to him by His Excellency President Harry Truman in Washington, D.C., on October 12, 1945.

An evangelical Christian with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, he studied the Bible regularly and knew God had a plan for him. Seventh-day Adventists believe their bodies to be the temples of the Holy Spirit, therefore, it is important for them to receive plenty of plant-based nutrition and exercise. They abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages and ingesting harmful addictive substances.

Despite his religious beliefs, he refused to avoid being drafted into military service. He enlisted as a medic, but refused to work on the Sabbath or to train with a gun. Overcoming tremendous odds, Desmond Doss rescued 75 injured soldiers at Hacksaw Ridge in Okinawa, Japan, single-handedly dragging them one by one to the edge of a 400-foot (120-meter) steep slope to be lowered to safety. No matter how great the danger, he was willing to go after a wounded comrade.

Desmond’s faith in God was rewarded. He never once fired a shot, but became the hero of heroes. The same soldiers who had humiliated him now praised him. His life story is one of personal conviction, integrity, and selfless love. In his later life, he led programs to benefit veterans and others which are detailed in the 2004 documentary, “The Conscientious Objector.”

“Hacksaw Ridge” won the 2017 Academy Awards for Best Editing and Best Sound Mixing, and was nominated for four other categories, including Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Film.