The Unlikeliest Hero’s
Excerpts and quotes are used from the book "Desmond Doss: Conscientious Objector" Written by Frances M. Doss
December 7, 1941 it is a day that lives on today as an important moment in our country’s history.
It is the day that Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt stated that it was a day that would “live in infamy”.
The attack on Pearl Harbor moved a sleeping giant from the background to the forefront of a world war.
Deep in the masses of men who would join and serve in the fight was a young man who desired to be of service.
Conflicted however because of his personal views and beliefs he made the leap with the hope that he could maintain his beliefs while helping others.
His name was Desmond Doss, he was a local boy, grew up just a couple of hours away from here in Lynchburg, VA.
Now let me say this, there is a Hollywood movie made that told a story about this man, this soldier but understand that this is only a glimpse into who he was and as Hollywood does there are some liberty’s taken in the story telling. For the most part there is a lot of accuracy, but they had to do a couple of things to make it lively.
First they had to flesh out the Desmond’s surroundings a bit more, the problem was that he was a humble man.
Not one that needed to be the center of attention, not one to stand out in a crowd, he had a servant’s heart, so they had to translate that to film.
The other thing and this is from the director of the film, they could not include everything that Desmond did because the audience wouldn’t believe it was true.
Early in on Desomond’s life he took to the word of God and its application in his life.
God’s design and plan moves through our lives like a silent chess player, moving the pieces strategically maneuvering with a plan and purpose.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Before Desmond was born, his father was at an auction house, a picture of the Ten Commandments was being offered and his father paid 10 cents for it. His father would later recollect that he had no idea why he bought it, he gave it to his wife and she hung it up in their living room. Some years later when Desmond was born he would pull a chair up to that picture and look at it.
Doss remembered thinking while looking at the sixth commandment “Thou shalt not kill” which was illustrated by a picture of Cain, with a club in his hands, standing over the dead body of his brother Abel just after killing him, he would think “How could a brother do such a thing”. It was that thought process that drove him to strive to become an army medic when he was drafted.
When he attended the drafting board he had requested to keep his religious practices in place, he did not want to carry a weapon and wanted to have Saturdays as his sabbath due to his religion and he wanted to be registered as a noncombatant.
The draft officer questioned him and said what if everyone felt the same way?
Doss’s reply was a simple one, “if they all felt that way then there would be no wars”.
Desmond was registered as a conscientious objector, though he did not like that label because so many people with that label demonstrated against the government or wouldn’t salute the flag.
Doss respected the flag and desired to do what he could within his particular principles, it was a simple thought, soldiers will get hurt and he could help them by being a medic.
Doss was called up on April 1st 1942, could you imagine that, April fool’s day.
Doss faced a lot of criticism from other soldiers and officers due to his desire to maintain Saturdays as his or as he states God’s sabbath. He would attend church, pray and read the bible during that time off.
To the world were going to be different.
To world were should be unique, peculiar.
1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
People that do not know God will not directly understand our belief in him.
And if we put ourselves in their shoes just for a second, we may be able to understand that.
Our sacrifices, our actions, our belief’s look pretty crazy to people that do not understand or have not experienced what many of us have.
Desmond Doss was a different type of soldier, one who wanted to serve but didn’t want to give up his beliefs.
I wonder how many of us just blend in with the world around us, do we stand out as Christians?
John 15:19
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
God knew we would be peculiar to others but if hide our faith, are we serving him with our whole heart or just part time on Sundays?
Desmond faced many obstacles in his military journey, at one point the army tried to section eight him, they didn’t understand that he wanted to serve, he just wanted to serve God at the same time.
Another time They sent him to an infantry unit removing him from the medic position he was supposed to be in. Officers did everything they could to get him to pick up a weapon.
One officer challenged him saying what would happen if your wife was being attacked, would you use your gun then?
Doss said no, but he told the officer, I wouldn’t just stand there either though that man would regret his actions.
The whole time Doss kept praying for God’s protection and God continued to make a way.
Not long after he was returned to his medic facility and was able to continue to train.
He would later find out that it was because his parents had contacted someone in Washington from their religion and they in turn contacted the commander of the base, which resulted in doss getting put back where he belonged.
The 77th division would invade Okinawa on April 20th 1945. Stretching across the island was a 400 hundred foot cliff, called the Mi-e-da Escarpment.
Before Doss’s regiment went up the escarpment he asked the Lietenant if they could pray before going.
The lietenant called the soldiers together and told them to gather around so Doss could pray for them, this wasn’t what he had in mind he felt that everyone should pray for themselves before the climb, but he prayed for all of them.
Desmond’s served in company B, company A who also climbed the escarpment was hit with many casualties when they reached the top so company B was commanded to take it by themselves.
That first assault, Company B did not lose a single man, only one was injured because a rock his hand.
When asked how they did it, the response was “It was because of Doss’s prayer”.
It’s not clear how much time had passed between that assault and this one but its suggested that the date was Saturday May 5th, Before going up Desmonds's captain asked him “Doss, would you mind going up on the escarpment today?
You know, you are the only medic we have left, and we really need you.
Doss’s response “Yes captain but can I finish my private devotions, the captain responded ok, we’ll wait for you."
A drastic change from what he faced in the beginning to now.
Church, your faith, might be what motivates others to even consider God and who he is in their lives.
1 Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Before going up the second time Doss asked the commander if could pray for the soldiers again but the commander let him know they didn’t have time.
This journey up did not go as well as the previous one, the battle turned and they evacuated because they were being decimated.
55 men went down the cliff leaving 100 wounded or dead. Doss being on of those men. He couldn’t leave the wounded behind so he began lowering them down one by one. For 5 long hours he rescued everyone he could.
There is a discrepancy in how many he rescued, according to Doss it was 50 according to the army it was a 100, they decided to meet him in the middle and say it was 75.
Doss stated that while he was lowering the men, he just kept praying, “Lord please help me get one more”.
You could be the unlikeliest hero to someone, an act of kindness, love, support, care.
You can share your faith with someone, lead them to Christ, the one who saved us.
Were supposed to be different church, were supposed to show this world something better. More powerful and fulfilling.
Matthew 5:14
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Our salvation should be shared.
If you’re here today and you haven’t experienced salvation, you can.
Peter responded to the question what shall we do? In Acts 2:38
Acts 2:38 Repent, and be baptized every one of you I the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
But before you can step into repentance, baptism and the infilling of the spirit by which we will see the fruits of God’s spirit in our lives you have to believe.
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Belief, repentance, baptism, infilling all these lead to His salvation.
And that salvation is available for you today, right now in this moment.
