8. The Pacifist Who Saved 75 Men in Combat
PHOTO: mentalfloss.com
Desmond Doss was a religious man who never wanted to carry a gun or take a human life. He was drafted into the Second World War and was placed as a non-combatant due to his status as a conscientious objector. Other soldiers made fun of him, but he refused to back down from his beliefs.
While he was serving as a medic in Okinawa, his unit came under attack by Japanese soldiers. Nearly every single man in his unit was cut down or shot. Doss thought fast. He couldn’t fight, but he could try to save his comrades. He rigged up a stretcher and rescued every single soldier in his unit, one at a time under heavy fire, and carried them to safety.
He was presented with the Medal of Honor by President Truman.
