Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

I just watched the 'consciencous objector' - the story of desmond doss.

a story about a medic who took tons of flack for refusing to carry a rifle in ww2, and risked his life time after time to save wounded soldiers and was awarded the medal of honor.

if you haven't heard this story... it's like a parable.

I'm blown away.

Yes, and you know what? He was not the only one !
I have had the honor of being a care provider to many a older veteran.
These, by in large are unique individuals, though few would admit it.

my grandfather was in the war... and was the only one left alive in his platoon when they were attacked at night...
he was a radio man... and told me how guilty he felt that he would radio support, hear the bombs, and then hear the screams...

don't get me wrong: anyone who fought in a war is a hero in my book...
but the thing that impressed me about doss was that his colonel tried to court marshal him for not carrying a weapon - and he ended up saving the colonels life.
His platoon leader tried to get other soldiers to ride him because he wouldn't carry a gun - and his platoon leader ended up deserting like a coward while doss was the only medic who would brave the infamous hacksaw ridge to treat soldiers knowing how the japanese would torture them at night.

the fire on the ridge was so intense that many soldiers were literally cut in half...
a japanese soldier said he had doss in his sights two times - and his gun jammed both times.

Yes, he was an awsome individual in his service to his fellow men.

As a side line I recently cared for two gents. One was in the 1 from D Day till he was hit by mortar fire trying to cross the river. ( A Bridge Too Far )

The other was a Radio op at BASTONGE.

hearing these stories sure puts life in perspective... reminds me not to sweat the small stuff- at least I'm not hearing bullets wizz by my head!

AMEN TO THAT !

I retired from army right after Desert Strom, and when Desert Shield started up I tryed to get back in. I told the recruiter, hey I spent 20 years ready to give my life to my country why not let me do it again. He looks at me and says "sorry, your had your chance and you blew it"

I tried like hell to get in.
They all told me I was too old, even for the reserves.
I could have gone Air Force but for one thing, my ADN.
Did not matter I took the same nursing board as a BSN.
My 10 years of experiece did not count for jack.

I guess the saying that God looks out for fools must be true.

Ya gotta respect that guy. Thanks, Mike, for bringing him to our attention.

I think this is the same guy who was a Seventh Day Adventist or something else, but would not fight because of his religious convinctions. Is that the same one?

Very heroic. The risks he took to save many lives.

thanks philby

craig... yes he was not carrying a gun bcuz of his religion

wish I could believe I'd have the moral fortitude to stand up for my beliefs like him... but I know better.

You are not alone my friend. You are not alone.

Mike,

We cannot always be sure what we are made of until it is tested in the most serious or desperate of circumstances. People get trapped on a lifeboat out in the ocean, days go by, no fresh water, the sun baking everyone. Many times it is the jock who ACTED so tough that breaks first, while the normally timid geek, may remain composed and be the one with the clear head, holding everyone together, keeping them hanging on, believing and surviving until they are rescued.

I don't care how sure ANYONE is of themselves, until it matters, until they are tried by the most serious of circumstances, they cannot ever be completely sure, how they will react.

When I was a young child, I was in some kind of Sunday School camp for summer. The minister was telling the children about all the suffering the disciples of Jesus endured. He told the kids that even though these men of God were tortured until death, that they felt no pain, because God shielded them from the pain. He performed a magic trick, burning a handkerchief and then showing afterward, that there were no burn marks on it, as a way of expressing how untouched the martyrs of God were.

Something or someone, spoke to me in that sanctuary and told me basically, that this minister was "full of sh*t!" (no, that wasn't the word used. LOL) but I KNEW, I KNEW that they very well did, feel that excrutiating pain, and that they endured unto death anyway, without losing their testimony, without denying the name of Jesus.

I had some kind of feeling, even then at 8 years old or whatever I was, that in the distant future, I also would be tortured and tested for my faith. And it bothered me, beyond words, not knowing whether I could endure the pain, that I knew would accompany those trials, and not deny God in order to save myself from the pain.

I remember that it bothered me for a long time. I imagined what someone could do to you... pulling fingernails off slowly, putting salt on the blood and open wounds. I knew that with all my heart, I wanted to endure anything required, to serve God and be loyal to Him, but as a child, I just didn't know whether I could bear pain without end.

Several times now, as an adult, I have put myself in harm's risk, to save someone'e life. Only after, did I realize that I never once thought about my safety, I just ran to save the people who were in death's grasp. It made me feel good, that I had that kind of heart, to run into harm's way and not realize how dangerous what you had done was, until you thought about it later. It felt good because, I knew I couldn't really know that about myself, until the circumstances actually occurred.

But risking your own life to save another, is NOT the same thing as enduring endless and vicious torture, day after day. John McCain endured such torture for an average of 5 days a week, for 5 or 6 years straight. Which is why he is so stiff now, and cannot lift his arms above his head. Even he broke. He shares about it in his autobiography, which I read quite a few years ago. He was delerious from the beatings, and signed something or made a statement that they wanted from him.

It bothers him to this day, that he even made that one small mistake.

His father, an Admiral, told him when he came home, that he should not feel ashamed. That EVERYONE breaks. It's just a matter of what it takes to get them there. He told his son he was proud of him, that he endured longer than most, and the next day, went right back to defiance, only inviting harsher torture as a result.

So, I don't know what I am fully capable of. I cannot know this, unless or until, that day or those years, present themselves.

I don't think anyone can know...

Until they REALLY know.

True that!

Several times now, as an adult, I have put myself in harm's risk, to save someone'e life. Only after, did I realize that I never once thought about my safety, I just ran to save the people who were in death's grasp.

Scary later isn't it?

I was almost 18 when I went to the beach in Port Arthur TX with an uncle and someone else, with a 200 foot seine. After dragging it in several times, the uncle, who now has only one leg, suddenly got a leg cramp when we were neck deep in the gulf pulling the seine in. Without even thinking about it I grabbed him in one arm and the seine in the other and dragged both in.

NO WAY could I have just walked out there and done that, the seine by itself was a struggle for both of us to pull. It could have also drowned us both without a lot of trouble, or a really big fish could have pulled us halfway to Cuba.

I guess I got lucky, we made it to the bank in relatively good shape, then I got scared...

You're right though, you never know until you're in the middle of it, just how you'll react. I've been either lucky or crazy, but I don't tend to panic, but in an emergency I don't think about it either, I just do whatever I have to do.

The one that really bothered me the most was standing and watching a house burn down and there was no way I could get in and find out if anyone was inside. I touched a door knob and knew there was no way, it was almost red hot. By the time I found it (out riding on a bicycle) the fire was out of control, if I had opened a door it would have either exploded from the sudden extra air supply or sucked me inside with it. Probably the latter...so I had to stand there and watch, unable to do a thing, while the place burned to the ground. We did go all around the house beating on the walls and yelling, one guy wanted to open a door but I wouldn't let him. I had some fire fighter training and knew it was burning too well to risk opening a door. That lets in more air and it really burns, and sucks you inside from the tremendous initial air intake. It wants air BAD. The only way you're NOT getting sucked inside is by being extremely careful...or tied to a light pole...

An old man lived there, and fortunately he wasn't home.