Doss spent a grueling 12 hours on Hacksaw Ridge, saving the lives of 75 people, including his captain, with his acts of bravery as a combat medic. Doss deflected enemy grenades and sustained injuries but remained at the top of the cliff, refusing to leave until all injured soldiers were brought to safety.

How many people did Desmond Doss actually save?

[1]Desmond Doss is credited with saving 75 soldiers during one of the bloodiest battles of World War II in the Pacific — and he did it without ever carrying a weapon. The battle at Hacksaw Ridge, on the island of Okinawa, was a close combat fight with heavy weaponry.

What happened to private Doss in Hacksaw Ridge?

Desmond Doss was injured by a grenade after saving 75 men alone above Hacksaw Ridge, and was later awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman. He lived with his wife Dorothy until her death in 1991, and continued to live until 2006.

How long was Desmond Doss in Okinawa?

Gibson succeeds in portraying Doss as the forthright Christian man that he was, and viewers come away with a sense of the fortitude and faith it took to perform the heroic deeds with which Doss was credited on Okinawa from April 29 through May 21, 1945.

How many died at Hacksaw Ridge?

About 2,500 Americans lost their lives and nearly twice as many Japanese troops. In the movie Hacksaw Ridge, they show Japanese soldiers killing wounded American soldiers. Is this portrayal accurate? Not only captured military prisoners, but also civilians.

'The End of the Battle & Interview w/ the Real Desmond Doss' Scene | Hacksaw Ridge

How brutal was Hacksaw Ridge?

At around the halfway mark, the fighting comes, and the film explodes into a kaleidoscope of horrors. To put it bluntly, Hacksaw Ridge contains some of the most gruesome and brutally violent mass battle scenes I've ever seen on the big screen.

Did any Japanese survive Hacksaw Ridge?

On May 4, 1945, Doss spent 12 hours single-handedly retrieving and lowering wounded soldiers from the battlefield to safety, down the edge of the cliff at Hacksaw Ridge. He tried to rescue both American and Japanese soldiers, though no Japanese soldiers survived.

How accurate is Hacksaw Ridge?

Most characters in Hacksaw Ridge are real as it is a biographical film. Desmond is the central figure and his life experiences are faithfully depicted. Other characters in the movie are composites or represent multiple people.

How tall was the real Hacksaw Ridge?

Hacksaw Ridge, a 500-foot-high plateau, is in southern Okinawa. The plateau on top stretched about 4,200 yards from east to west. Its face was a crest consisting of a sheer rock wall that could only be scaled with ladders or special climbing gear.

Who was the soldier who refused to carry a gun?

Desmond Thomas Doss (February 7, 1919 – March 23, 2006) was an American United States Army corporal who served as a combat medic with an infantry company in World War II. Due to his religious beliefs, he refused to carry a weapon.

Did Desmond Doss have PTSD?

born 1946. Still living. Did Desmond's PTSD effect his relationship with his son? Yes.

What is Hacksaw Ridge today?

Maeda Escarpment, a.k.a. “Hacksaw Ridge,” is now commonly recognized as part of Urasoe Castle Ruin. Urasoe City Office's website says that since the movie was released, many people have come to see the actual site where Pfc. Desmond Doss rescued 75 or more people May 5, 1945.

How many conscientious objectors won the Medal of Honor?

There have been three conscientious objectors who were awarded the Medal of Honor – the highest military honor in the US – without ever firing a weapon. One of those men is Desmond Doss, who has had his story translated to the silver screen in “Hacksaw Ridge,” a new movie directed by Mel Gibson.

Did the Japanese target medics?

The Japanese liked to target corpsmen and Army medics, as well as doctors. They knew if they hurt or killed someone with medical training, they wouldn't be able to help other wounded Marines or soldiers.

How many Japanese were saved by Desmond Doss?

During this battle, then- Army Pfc. Desmond T. Doss, a medic, rescued 75 of his wounded comrades and later received the Medal of Honor for his actions. He was later promoted to the rank of colonel.

Why was it called Hacksaw Ridge?

The battlefield, located on top of a sheer 400-foot cliff, was fortified with a deadly network of Japanese machine gun nests and booby traps. The escarpment, nicknamed Hacksaw Ridge for the treacherously steep cliff, was key to winning the battle of Okinawa.

Why didn't they cut the rope at Hacksaw Ridge?

Originally Answered: After watching "Hacksaw Ridge", my question is why didn't the Japanese just cut that rope ladder? This question has been answered in a documentary starring the actual Desmond Doss. The japanese didn't cut the rope because that was the only entrance to the battlefield.

How bloody was Hacksaw Ridge?

Violence & Gore (16)

They are long, and filled with bloody gunfire, graphic stabbings with knives and bayonets, and many explosions which separate limbs and leave blood everywhere. Guts, limbs, intestines, and blood everywhere.

What was left out of Hacksaw Ridge?

Undoubtedly one of the bigger omissions from Hacksaw Ridge is that Desmond Doss served in two other battles before Japan. In reality, Doss was at the Battles of Guam and Leyte, both in 1944. The Battle of Okinawa was not until 1945, meaning the film omits Doss' role in the prior two conflicts.

Did the Japanese surrender at Hacksaw Ridge?

A 2016 movie, "Hacksaw Ridge," chronicles his story. The Allies planned to use Okinawa as a base to attack mainland Japan, dubbed Operation Downfall. However, on Aug. 15, 1945, Japan announced its unconditional surrender, thereby avoiding further bloodshed.

What parts of Hacksaw Ridge are not accurate?

How high was the cliff in Hacksaw Ridge?

Using cargo nets, Doss' battalion was tasked with climbing a treacherous, 400-foot-high jagged cliff, nicknamed Hacksaw Ridge, to get to a plateau. Waiting for them were thousands of heavily armed Japanese soldiers entrenched in hidden caves and holes.

What did other soldiers say about Desmond Doss?

His refusal to carry a gun caused a lot of trouble among his fellow soldiers. They viewed him with distain and called him a misfit. One man in the barracks warned him, "Doss, as soon as we get into combat, I'll make sure you won't come back alive."

How many American men died at Hacksaw Ridge?

As fighting surged back and forth over the ridge for several days, about 2,500 Americans lost their lives and nearly twice as many Japanese troops, said Chris Majewski, a former marine who, as director of the island's battle of Okinawa museum, leads regular battlefield tours of the site.

What was the worst battle of WWII?

The "Bulge" was the largest and bloodiest single battle fought by the United States in World War II and the second deadliest battle in American history.