Sounds of war
00:00:01.36\00:00:22.52
It began on the 21st of July
1944. Allied soldiers landed
00:00:22.55\00:00:28.32
Here Asan Beach on the
Island of Guam. They had to take
00:00:28.36\00:00:32.09
it back from the Japanese
soldiers firing with machine
00:00:32.13\00:00:35.56
guns and artillery dug into
pill boxes and caves. They had
00:00:35.60\00:00:40.87
had established strong defensive
positions all along this coast
00:00:40.90\00:00:45.67
line. It would become one of the
crucial battles of the war in
00:00:45.71\00:00:53.11
the Pacific. Many servicemen had
to sacrifice their lives. Much
00:00:53.15\00:00:58.15
blood would be poured out on the
Guam beaches. Many casualties
00:00:58.19\00:01:02.56
would be scattered throughout
the island's jungle interior.
00:01:02.59\00:01:08.76
And yet one soldier would make
a name for himself by saving
00:01:08.80\00:01:13.70
lives. He refused to bear arms
or carry a weapon in the midst
00:01:13.74\00:01:18.24
of constant enemy fire. He was
unwilling to take a life or even
00:01:18.27\00:01:23.31
so much as touch a weapon. He
did, however, say that he would
00:01:23.35\00:01:28.28
be proud to serve his country as
a medic if they would let him.
00:01:28.32\00:01:32.32
He was a conscientious objector
who chose to fight, fight in a
00:01:32.35\00:01:37.69
way that would help people. He
had the wild idea that he could
00:01:37.73\00:01:41.96
serve his country at war
and also obey the command, Thou
00:01:42.00\00:01:46.63
shalt not kill. No one imagined
he could pull that off. Most of
00:01:46.67\00:01:52.17
his comrades mocked and
harassed him. His officers
00:01:52.21\00:01:56.01
tried to get him discharged,
thrown out of the army, but when
00:01:56.04\00:02:00.48
the men of company B assaulted
Hacksaw Ridge on the Island of
00:02:00.52\00:02:03.45
Okinawa something that happened
that would change their opinion
00:02:03.49\00:02:09.36
forever. Medic Desmond
Doss would be transformed
00:02:09.39\00:02:14.00
from the most
00:02:14.03\00:02:15.36
reviled to the most revered
soldier. And would end up being
00:02:15.40\00:02:19.73
the first conscientious objector
in American history to win the
00:02:19.77\00:02:24.27
Congressional Medal of Honor.
You're never going to forget his
00:02:24.31\00:02:29.31
incredible story.
00:02:29.34\00:02:30.68
¤ ¤
00:02:30.71\00:03:06.78
Here on the Pacific island of
Guam you can still see remnants
00:03:06.82\00:03:10.29
of the Japanese fire power
which Allied troops had to face.
00:03:10.32\00:03:15.29
Retaking this island from
Emperor Hirohito's fiercely
00:03:15.32\00:03:18.46
loyal and zealous troops wasn't
easy. They were committed,
00:03:18.49\00:03:24.40
well trained and heavily armed.
This was one of the key spots in
00:03:24.43\00:03:28.60
the Allied advance to Okinawa
and Japan. But it was extremely
00:03:28.64\00:03:34.94
difficult and dangerous.
The Japanese forces had prepared
00:03:34.98\00:03:39.85
strong defensive positions
all along the coast. For example
00:03:39.88\00:03:45.02
this limestone outcrop at
Agat beach disguises a Japanese
00:03:45.05\00:03:48.32
fortress that was designed to
pour lethal fire on U.S. troops
00:03:48.36\00:03:52.86
landing here. It's a
deadly stronghold with massive
00:03:52.89\00:03:56.83
antiaircraft guns, artillery
pieces and bunkers all linked by
00:03:56.87\00:04:01.90
a network of tunnels. It was
virtually impregnable from the
00:04:01.94\00:04:06.68
ocean. Here is Latte Stone Park
you can still see the entrance
00:04:06.71\00:04:13.55
to several of the countless
caves dug into the rock face
00:04:13.58\00:04:17.42
which Japanese soldiers used
to protect their weapons from
00:04:17.45\00:04:21.09
Allied bombardments. Caves
and pill boxes were scattered
00:04:21.12\00:04:25.89
through Guam's interior
and time after time advancing
00:04:25.93\00:04:29.96
Marines would encounter
withering machine gun fire from
00:04:30.00\00:04:34.04
places they couldn't see.
The casualties mounted quickly.
00:04:34.07\00:04:38.91
(ocean sounds) Every
army has medical personnel
00:04:38.94\00:04:48.95
of course. People who tried
to rescue their fallen comrades.
00:04:48.98\00:04:54.02
Desmond Doss was one of them. He
was dedicated to saving lives on
00:04:54.06\00:04:59.69
the battlefield. But on the
Island of Guam, Doss faced a
00:04:59.73\00:05:05.47
special challenge. While
fighting in this jungle, Allied
00:05:05.50\00:05:09.17
troops began to realize the
Japanese were actually targeting
00:05:09.20\00:05:14.04
medics. It was their way of
trying to break down morale.
00:05:14.08\00:05:18.68
More and more were being shot
at as they cared for the wounded
00:05:18.71\00:05:21.28
So many medics took off their
red crosses. They tried to just
00:05:21.32\00:05:25.65
fit in with the infantry men.
But Desmond Doss began to stand
00:05:25.69\00:05:31.03
out. A documentary called The
Conscientious Objector was made
00:05:31.06\00:05:40.44
by Terry Benedict shortly before
Desmond passed away in 2006.
00:05:40.47\00:05:43.81
In it Desmond would recall
what it was like caring for the
00:05:43.84\00:05:48.48
wounded with intense enemy fire
all around him. This man didn't
00:05:48.51\00:05:53.72
just stick around the battalion
aid station where he was
00:05:53.75\00:05:56.99
assigned. He was determined to
try to save his fellow soldiers
00:05:57.02\00:06:02.76
wherever they were. He even
insisted on going out with the
00:06:02.79\00:06:07.33
dogfaces on
dangerous night patrol.
00:06:07.36\00:06:14.34
We'd go out, crawl around
amongst our boys and see if they
00:06:14.37\00:06:16.30
weren't dead he'd take
care of them, drag them back.
00:06:16.34\00:06:19.07
He wasn't supposed to do that?
00:06:19.11\00:06:21.18
He wasn't supposed to move at
night. Them guys that's wounded
00:06:21.21\00:06:24.21
I got to go see
about. That's my job.
00:06:24.25\00:06:29.38
But this is what is especially
remarkable about Desmond's
00:06:29.42\00:06:33.12
experience on Guam. He'd been
one of the most despised and
00:06:33.15\00:06:39.23
reviled soldiers in the military
He'd barely survived his
00:06:39.26\00:06:40.70
training days because of
his refusal to carry a weapon.
00:06:40.73\00:06:47.37
Why did this medic face all the
Japanese machine gun fire here
00:06:47.40\00:06:52.47
without ever reaching for a
rifle or pistol. Well the answer
00:06:52.51\00:06:57.08
goes all the way back to a
picture on his living room wall.
00:06:57.11\00:07:01.58
My mother had a picture in
the living room, a large picture
00:07:01.62\00:07:06.86
of the Ten Commandments. He
would get up in a chair and he
00:07:06.89\00:07:14.66
was reading them. And
he couldn't understand,
00:07:14.70\00:07:17.60
why did Cain kill Abel.
00:07:17.63\00:07:19.63
I wondered how in the
world could a brother do such a
00:07:19.67\00:07:25.77
thing? To me it was
said, Desmond, if you love me
00:07:25.84\00:07:31.91
you won't kill. As a result I
00:07:31.98\00:07:33.31
I didn't want to ever take life.
00:07:33.35\00:07:40.52
Then came World War II. Desmond
was working in a ship yard at
00:07:40.56\00:07:46.86
the time. He could easily have
gotten a deferment. Instead when
00:07:46.90\00:07:53.23
Uncle Sam called he gladly
answered and this young man
00:07:53.27\00:07:59.21
began his army training at
a base in Fort Jackson, South
00:07:59.24\00:08:01.48
Carolina. His beliefs didn't
allow him to carry weapons, but
00:08:01.51\00:08:07.62
Desmond still chose to take part
in the war in a way that would
00:08:07.65\00:08:09.68
help people and save lives.
So he joins up as a medic.
00:08:09.72\00:08:16.49
The barracks where he stayed
are still standing. Desmond
00:08:16.52\00:08:20.70
remembers the tough times there.
The idea of a conscientious
00:08:20.73\00:08:26.43
objector wasn't understood well
at the time. Several officers
00:08:26.47\00:08:31.01
insisted he had to train with
weapons even if he was a medic.
00:08:31.04\00:08:34.51
Desmond actually wanted to be a
conscientious cooperator but not
00:08:34.54\00:08:40.62
with a gun. His buddies didn't
take well to him either. He
00:08:40.65\00:08:46.25
endured a lot of harassment,
disdain and abuse. Often at
00:08:46.29\00:08:49.99
night as he knelt quietly by
his bed to pray they would throw
00:08:50.03\00:08:55.66
boots at him. They just couldn't
understand this guy who would
00:08:55.70\00:08:58.87
want to obey the words Thou
shalt not kill in the midst of a
00:08:58.90\00:09:03.20
world at war. Some officers
tried hard to humiliate Desmond,
00:09:03.24\00:09:10.21
to force a weapon on him,
even to get rid of him with a
00:09:10.25\00:09:12.71
dishonorable discharge. But
Desmond perseveres devoted to
00:09:12.75\00:09:18.69
prayer and worship even though
other scoff. He was unwilling to
00:09:18.72\00:09:23.09
compromise his convictions. That
showed his true fortitude and
00:09:23.12\00:09:28.66
character. (Sounds of gunfire)
This is where everything started
00:09:28.70\00:09:38.84
changing. As his regiment became
involved in combat missions,
00:09:38.87\00:09:42.14
Desmond's true courage
shines. This is where that weird
00:09:42.18\00:09:48.65
religious guy became something
of an icon. No one else seemed
00:09:48.68\00:09:52.25
so dedicated to helping his
fellow soldiers, even with enemy
00:09:52.29\00:09:56.83
bullets whizzing by his head.
Desmond was determined to save
00:09:56.86\00:10:02.16
life instead of take life. This
man had the crazy idea that he
00:10:02.20\00:10:08.10
could serve his countrymen in
the fierce and bloody war in the
00:10:08.14\00:10:11.54
Pacific and still honor God's
principle that life is sacred.
00:10:11.57\00:10:16.24
Desmond himself would put
it this way. I was fighting for
00:10:16.28\00:10:20.88
freedom by trying to save
life, because I couldn't picture
00:10:20.92\00:10:24.45
Christ out there with a
gun killing people, but I could
00:10:24.49\00:10:28.19
think of him out there with
a medical aid kit. After a few
00:10:28.22\00:10:34.90
months on Guam Desmond
moved on with his company to the
00:10:34.93\00:10:39.03
Philippine island of Leyte. Lots
of fierce jungle fighting was
00:10:39.07\00:10:43.44
taking place there too. On Leyte
the admiration of Desmond's
00:10:43.47\00:10:48.31
buddies turned into something
like awe. They kept seeing him
00:10:48.34\00:10:52.31
scurrying around carrying the
wounded under heavy enemy fire.
00:10:52.35\00:10:57.22
And the man just seemed
impervious to Japanese bullets.
00:10:57.25\00:11:01.42
Because of Desmond's continual
bravery during this campaign his
00:11:01.46\00:11:06.83
superiors recommended him for
the Bronze Star. But it was here
00:11:06.86\00:11:13.40
on the Island of Okinawa that
this unique medic would truly
00:11:13.44\00:11:17.77
make history. He landed here
with the 77th Infantry Division
00:11:17.81\00:11:22.64
in April 1945. Okinawa was the
last battle fought by the 77th
00:11:22.68\00:11:29.88
Division and the fiercest. It
was the final push towards the
00:11:29.92\00:11:35.02
Japanese home islands.
The battle was an extremely
00:11:35.06\00:11:39.26
difficult one made worse by the
cliffs and the rough terrain.
00:11:39.29\00:11:44.13
And it all happened here at this
Maeda escarpment also known as
00:11:44.17\00:11:49.30
Hacksaw Ridge. In May of 1945
the advance of the 77th division
00:11:49.34\00:11:56.44
of American troops to
Okinawa had hit a big wall,
00:11:56.48\00:12:00.02
this cliff side.
00:12:00.05\00:12:02.02
They met the most stubborn
resistance here. The Maeda
00:12:02.05\00:12:06.79
escarpment rises steeply out of
Okinawa's central valley and it
00:12:06.82\00:12:11.49
runs almost the entire breadth
of the island. Here it peaks in
00:12:11.53\00:12:15.70
a sheer rock cliff from 10 to
20 meters high. The Japanese had
00:12:15.73\00:12:22.94
completely fortified the
escarpment. Lots of pill boxes,
00:12:22.97\00:12:26.51
a maze of tunnels and caves and,
of course, soldiers armed to the
00:12:26.54\00:12:32.11
teeth. They managed to turn
back several all-out assaults.
00:12:32.15\00:12:36.32
This is prove to be the worst
battle in the violent Okinawa
00:12:36.35\00:12:40.36
conflict. But now orders came
down from 10th Army headquarters
00:12:40.39\00:12:45.69
This ridge, Hacksaw Ridge, was
to be taken at all costs. There
00:12:45.73\00:12:52.17
was no other way the Americans
could advance toward a victory
00:12:52.20\00:12:55.04
over Japan. The first battalion
assigned to this area was
00:12:55.07\00:13:00.71
spearheaded by Company B
led by Captain Vernon. Those men
00:13:00.74\00:13:05.81
assigned to attack a pill box
anchoring the Japanese line and
00:13:05.85\00:13:09.65
as they waited below this cliff
gripping their rifles, ready to
00:13:09.68\00:13:14.59
fire their way to the top, Medic
Desmond Doss stood faithfully
00:13:14.62\00:13:19.29
with them. Today the Maeda
escarpment is a very green and
00:13:19.33\00:13:25.33
peaceful place so it's hard to
imagine what it must have been
00:13:25.37\00:13:29.84
like back then. So in that
documentary Desmond and some of
00:13:29.87\00:13:34.78
his old buddies returned to
this place to try to remember.
00:13:34.81\00:13:39.75
Depression right here.
00:13:39.78\00:13:41.62
One thing they recalled is that
their captain asked for a cargo
00:13:41.65\00:13:45.19
net to be brought up. The kind
they hang over the side of a
00:13:45.22\00:13:48.09
ship. The rug net which soldiers
use to climb down to those
00:13:48.12\00:13:52.53
landing craft. It seemed the
only way they could get up this
00:13:52.56\00:13:56.90
cliff in a hurry. And Desmond
was actually one of those three
00:13:56.93\00:14:01.70
men who volunteered to drag it
up here. In a brief quiet moment
00:14:01.74\00:14:12.55
when the enemy had gone back
into their tunnels, he would
00:14:12.58\00:14:15.88
stand here on this ridge
and look down at what he had
00:14:15.92\00:14:19.99
accomplished. Yes Desmond would
have a lot to remember here. He
00:14:20.02\00:14:26.03
would be asked to pray for
his men in Company B before they
00:14:26.06\00:14:29.60
began the assault. Soldiers did
manage to climb up that cargo
00:14:29.63\00:14:34.97
net. They did manage to throw
grenades into pill boxes, aim
00:14:35.00\00:14:38.14
flame throwers into caves. But
then the enemy fire would sweep
00:14:38.17\00:14:42.81
over them again, driving them
off this Maeda escarpment of
00:14:42.84\00:14:44.18
Hacksaw Ridge. The Americans
took over this ridge and then
00:14:46.11\00:14:51.32
were pushed back down over and
over. For several days Hacksaw
00:14:51.35\00:14:57.06
Ridge changed hands. Many
casualties of course and the
00:14:57.09\00:15:00.90
men kept seeing Desmond running
down to get plasma for the
00:15:00.93\00:15:05.20
wounded as mortar shells
exploded around him. He just
00:15:05.23\00:15:10.21
couldn't follow the standard
procedure of only caring for
00:15:10.24\00:15:13.61
men who seemed to have a chance
to survive. Desmond saw the
00:15:13.64\00:15:17.85
possibility of life no matter
what. One of the wounded men,
00:15:17.88\00:15:22.68
Private John Centola would
remember. Desmond Doss you know
00:15:22.72\00:15:28.06
was working on me and he
says Take it easy, you'll be all
00:15:28.09\00:15:32.56
right he says. And I couldn't
believe how calm he was while he
00:15:32.59\00:15:39.50
was working on me. I asked
him, I say you don't have any
00:15:39.53\00:15:44.11
weapons. I say I'll give
you a.45. He says no he says I
00:15:44.14\00:15:47.08
can't kill anybody, you know.
He says that's my religion.
00:15:47.11\00:15:51.08
And I say to
myself, here's a warrior.
00:15:51.11\00:15:54.05
This very different kind of
warrior was just getting started
00:15:54.08\00:15:59.29
Now the men of Company B
covered by sweeping fire from
00:15:59.32\00:16:03.93
the rear moved up and over the
escarpment. And managed to throw
00:16:03.96\00:16:08.70
a few explosives down a large
pillbox entry. A mighty rumble
00:16:08.73\00:16:15.40
shook the entire escarpment
that set off an ammunition dump
00:16:15.44\00:16:19.37
underground. Well that seemed to
be the turning point. But no, it
00:16:19.41\00:16:25.88
also set off another Japanese
counterattack. Okinawa's
00:16:25.91\00:16:30.12
defendants poured out of caves
and tunnels everywhere screaming
00:16:30.15\00:16:36.22
firing rifles and tossing
grenades. Captain Vernon ordered
00:16:36.26\00:16:40.50
the men to dig in, but they
were soon overwhelmed by sheer
00:16:40.53\00:16:44.77
numbers. Retreat turned into
panic as soldiers rushed madly
00:16:44.80\00:16:50.11
back toward the cliff and
tumbled down the cargo net. Many
00:16:50.14\00:16:54.31
were cut down by enemy fire.
Only one man remained here on
00:16:54.34\00:17:02.18
top doing his job and that
was Desmond Doss. Tending to the
00:17:02.22\00:17:07.62
wounded and fallen. He felt
compelled to get them off this
00:17:07.66\00:17:12.19
ridge. Desmond had about 12
hours of light to get them down.
00:17:12.23\00:17:17.53
He began by dragging them to
the edge and there he remembered
00:17:17.57\00:17:24.91
something that would greatly
help; a bowline knot he'd
00:17:24.94\00:17:28.11
learned to tie as a kid. Desmond
realized he could make the
00:17:28.14\00:17:32.21
double loop bigger and
slip a man's arms through them.
00:17:32.25\00:17:35.42
Wrapping one end of the long
rope around a sheltered tree
00:17:35.45\00:17:39.05
stump he could lower the man
down the cliff to those waiting
00:17:39.09\00:17:44.76
under cover below. So that's
what he did. Scurrying around
00:17:44.79\00:17:48.60
this ridge dodging a terrifying
mixture of mortar and machine
00:17:48.63\00:17:51.73
gun fire, one wounded man after
another, taken to the ridge,
00:17:51.77\00:17:57.07
lowered with a bowline. The men
looking up could hardly believe
00:17:57.11\00:18:02.64
what was happening.
00:18:02.68\00:18:04.05
Time after time I saw Doss go
back into the enemy or into the
00:18:04.08\00:18:10.52
Japanese and pick up wounded and
bring them there and let them
00:18:10.55\00:18:15.32
down on these
ropes and (indistinct)
00:18:15.36\00:18:18.49
The bullets were flying like
bees or something. It was just
00:18:18.53\00:18:23.70
miraculous. I couldn't
understand how he could do this.
00:18:23.73\00:18:27.14
Desmond kept praying, Lord
please help me get one more. And
00:18:27.17\00:18:33.34
he kept succeeding even though
when he had to stand up at the
00:18:33.38\00:18:36.78
edge of the cliff to begin
lowering each wounded man, the
00:18:36.81\00:18:42.08
Japanese had a clear angle on
his head and shoulders. Somehow
00:18:42.12\00:18:45.79
none of the bullets whizzing by
caught this medic. Years later,
00:18:45.82\00:18:51.59
in fact, one of those Japanese
soldiers would actually recall
00:18:51.63\00:18:55.56
that he had Desmond in his sites
but his gun jammed every time he
00:18:55.60\00:19:01.37
pulled the trigger. This lone
medic did spend 12 hours up here
00:19:01.40\00:19:06.34
He was preserving life with a
vengeance. He joined the war to
00:19:06.37\00:19:12.78
help and heal. That day 75 men
would owe their lives to him. He
00:19:12.81\00:19:18.85
rescued 75 single-handedly under
intense enemy fire without ever
00:19:18.89\00:19:24.69
firing a gun. No one would
ever forget that. After the war
00:19:24.73\00:19:32.40
Desmond Doss would be awarded
the Congressional Medal of Honor
00:19:32.43\00:19:36.10
by President Truman. We're
all fascinated by this kind of
00:19:36.14\00:19:41.48
courage of course. We all
wonder what makes someone like
00:19:41.51\00:19:45.31
this tick. What takes him
to such a place far above human
00:19:45.35\00:19:49.78
fears and weaknesses.
Well Desmond actually made the
00:19:49.82\00:19:54.12
reason pretty clear. He
spotlighted the source of his
00:19:54.16\00:19:58.09
courage just a few days
after saving 75 buddies. Captain
00:19:58.13\00:20:04.53
Vernon had to put together
one more assault on the Maeda
00:20:04.57\00:20:08.30
escarpment. This one would prove
the final one. Vernon tried to
00:20:08.34\00:20:12.51
prepare his men for what he
knew would be the fight of their
00:20:12.54\00:20:16.41
lives. Some were new recruits
sent in to replace the heavy
00:20:16.44\00:20:21.78
casualties and there was
one man Vernon especially wanted
00:20:21.82\00:20:25.62
along on this mission. He walked
over to a medic who sat nursing
00:20:25.65\00:20:30.16
a leg he'd injured in a tumble
under the cliff. Captain Vernon
00:20:30.19\00:20:35.00
said Doss I know you don't have
to go on this mission but the
00:20:35.03\00:20:39.07
men would like to have you with
them and so would I. Desmond
00:20:39.10\00:20:44.11
had become a type of paladin,
a champion to his colleagues
00:20:44.14\00:20:48.21
guiding them, protecting them
through prayer giving his total
00:20:48.24\00:20:52.25
concentration to saving them
and giving them aid. Then he
00:20:52.28\00:20:57.15
noticed Desmond's eyes,
sunk deep into dark sockets, his
00:20:57.19\00:21:01.39
shoulders slumped. Exhausted.
He haven't even had time to
00:21:01.42\00:21:05.69
change his cotton uniform now
covered in the dried blood of
00:21:05.73\00:21:09.96
the men he'd saved. But this
medic didn't hesitate. I'll go
00:21:10.00\00:21:14.07
Captain he said. But then
he asked permission to finish
00:21:14.10\00:21:17.77
reading a passage of scripture.
That's what he did regularly.
00:21:17.81\00:21:20.88
That's what was sustaining
him in these violent and bloody
00:21:20.91\00:21:24.91
hours. His belief and trust
in God gave him his courage and
00:21:24.95\00:21:29.98
strength through these
challenging times. The captain
00:21:30.02\00:21:34.49
started to object. He knew
the entire American advance in
00:21:34.52\00:21:39.53
Okinawa was hung up at this one
spot. But he nodded. We'll wait
00:21:39.56\00:21:44.53
for you and walked off. As
so the advance of an entire army
00:21:44.57\00:21:50.44
an entire Allied force paused
as this single medic tapped into
00:21:50.47\00:21:56.11
source of spiritual strength,
the Bible. He bowed his head in
00:21:56.14\00:22:00.78
prayer for a few moments, then
stood up and tested his leg.
00:22:00.82\00:22:04.02
Desmond was relieved to find it
still supported him. Now he was
00:22:04.05\00:22:09.72
ready. This medic joined his
buddies and they finally took
00:22:09.76\00:22:15.36
Hacksaw Ridge for good. His
Bible, prayer, his faith in God
00:22:15.40\00:22:21.20
gave Desmond the courage
and strength to accomplish great
00:22:21.24\00:22:25.71
things. What a long way he'd
traveled from those barracks in
00:22:25.74\00:22:30.95
Fort Jackson, the most reviled
soldier had become the most
00:22:30.98\00:22:34.78
revered soldier. How different
he'd become in the eyes of those
00:22:34.82\00:22:38.42
men who once threw their boots
at him. They saw this skinny
00:22:38.45\00:22:42.79
guy with glasses, this awkward
young staff who had a hard time
00:22:42.82\00:22:47.26
fitting in had suddenly become a
hero, much larger than life and
00:22:47.30\00:22:52.67
they would find a way to express
their admiration. A few days
00:22:52.70\00:22:56.24
after his heroic actions on the
escarpment Doss was wounded here
00:22:56.27\00:23:01.34
by a sniper. He unselfishly
let a more badly injured soldier
00:23:01.38\00:23:05.71
have his stretcher for
evacuation off the battlefield.
00:23:05.75\00:23:10.99
Later as he was driven away in
an ambulance the medic suddenly
00:23:11.02\00:23:14.99
gasped, My Bible! I've lost
my Bible. It's okay, the driver
00:23:15.02\00:23:21.40
said, they'll get you another
one on the ship. But Doss wanted
00:23:21.43\00:23:25.87
his Bible. The pocket Bible
had carried him through the long
00:23:25.90\00:23:30.71
terror of war. And he made the
driver promise to pass the word
00:23:30.74\00:23:34.98
to friends at the battalion aid
station in case they'd seen it.
00:23:35.01\00:23:38.05
Well word did get back to
Company B and guess what. All
00:23:38.08\00:23:44.95
those men walked up through
the trees, fanned out over the
00:23:44.99\00:23:47.46
battlefield and began poking
around shell holes, looking
00:23:47.49\00:23:52.03
under debris, retracing
Desmond's steps, looking for his
00:23:52.06\00:23:55.66
lost Bible. They even had to
keep an eye out for snipers and
00:23:55.70\00:24:00.17
booby traps. But they were
quite willing to risk their
00:24:00.20\00:24:03.00
lives to look for that little
book that their incredible
00:24:03.04\00:24:07.84
comrade valued so much. They
kept looking until they found
00:24:07.88\00:24:12.25
the book that had helped create
a Congressional Medal of Honor.
00:24:12.28\00:24:16.28
And they happily sent it back to
Desmond. Yes the man they'd come
00:24:16.32\00:24:20.92
to love and respect. The book
he so earnestly regarded as the
00:24:20.96\00:24:25.66
word of God. Have you ever
wondered what might happen in
00:24:25.69\00:24:30.73
your life if you went out poking
around for the word of God?
00:24:30.77\00:24:34.04
Have you ever thought the Bible
could be much, much more than
00:24:34.07\00:24:38.84
just a book for religious types?
Can you believe that it could
00:24:38.87\00:24:43.01
make your life much bigger than
you could ever imagine? Well may
00:24:43.04\00:24:48.68
I invite you to give it a try.
Give it trot. Why not make it a
00:24:48.72\00:24:53.36
genuine experiment? Why not see
what God can actually do while
00:24:53.39\00:24:59.56
speaking his words to you. Give
the Bible a try. You're life
00:24:59.59\00:25:03.93
will never be the same again.
Let me extend an invitation to
00:25:03.97\00:25:08.20
you as we pray. Dear
Father, I thank you for
00:25:08.24\00:25:13.68
this beautiful picture of how
life can be affirmed even in the
00:25:13.71\00:25:17.88
midst of a world at war. I
thank you for Desmond Doss,
00:25:17.91\00:25:24.55
showing us the potential power
in relationship with your word
00:25:24.59\00:25:27.12
Bible. And so I pray that our
viewers today will take it on,
00:25:27.16\00:25:33.29
give it a try and I pray they
will begin to see what power
00:25:33.33\00:25:36.50
lies in its pages and what a
big difference it can make to
00:25:36.53\00:25:39.93
our lives. I ask
this in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:25:39.97\00:25:49.54
This story of Desmond Doss, the
conscientious objector who went
00:25:49.58\00:25:55.05
to war to help and heal others
has inspired people all over the
00:25:55.08\00:26:02.16
world. We all wonder what
makes someone like this tick.
00:26:02.19\00:26:05.43
Well there was one source that
Desmond Doss got his strength
00:26:05.46\00:26:10.17
and courage from. Prayer and
Bible study. It was the Bible
00:26:10.20\00:26:15.40
that gave him peace in
the midst of battle. Have you
00:26:15.44\00:26:20.14
ever wondered what
00:26:20.18\00:26:21.51
the Bible might be able to
do in your life? It's a book
00:26:21.54\00:26:24.31
that has the power to transform
and change lives. It brings true
00:26:24.35\00:26:29.32
peace and happiness. If that's
what you're looking for in life
00:26:29.35\00:26:33.76
I would like to tell you about
the free gift we have for all
00:26:33.79\00:26:37.86
our viewers today. It's a Bible,
the book that brought peace to
00:26:37.89\00:26:43.40
Desmond Doss and helped him
face the challenges of life.
00:26:43.43\00:26:45.90
And it could do the same for
you. A free Bible is our gift to
00:26:45.93\00:26:51.47
you today. Here's
the information you need:
00:26:51.51\00:26:56.54
Phone or text us at
0436333555 in Australia or
00:26:56.58\00:27:02.32
0204222042 in New Zealand
or visit our website TiJ.tv to
00:27:02.35\00:27:10.66
request today's free offer
and we'll send it to you totally
00:27:10.69\00:27:14.06
free of charge and with no
obligation. Write to us at:
00:27:14.10\00:27:30.68
Don't delay. Call or text us now
00:27:30.71\00:27:34.65
The Incredible Journey and
Pastor Gary Kent with Pastor
00:27:34.68\00:27:39.79
Louis Torres and Carol Torres
as the principal trainers are
00:27:39.82\00:27:43.26
opening a Bible College in
Sydney in February of 2020.
00:27:43.29\00:27:46.49
This 14-week program will give
you the skills you need to be an
00:27:46.53\00:27:50.83
effective cola borer with
Christ to carry the message of a
00:27:50.87\00:27:54.47
crucified, risen and soon coming
Savior to the whole world. For
00:27:54.50\00:27:58.34
more information and to
register phone or text us at:
00:27:58.37\00:28:01.74
0481315101. Email us at
info@tij.tv or visit our website
00:28:01.78\00:28:10.22
at TiJ.tv/events.
00:28:10.25\00:28:14.02
¤ ¤
00:28:16.12\00:28:26.53