Summary
- Desmond Doss's adherence to his pacifist beliefs, influenced by his Seventh-Day Adventist upbringing, led to his refusal to touch a gun or engage in violence during World War II.
- The real-life Harold Doss, Desmond's brother, served in the Navy and not the Army like portrayed in Hacksaw Ridge and survived the war without any injuries.
- After the war, Harold Doss lived a successful and faith-filled life, running his own construction company and remaining an active member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church until his death in 2007.
Hacksaw Ridge recounts the courageous true story of Desmond Doss, a U.S. Army private and a pacifist who went on to save the lives of dozens of his fellow soldiers in the bloody Pacific theater of World War II. Desmond Doss's refusal to touch a gun is what set him apart from the soldiers he served with in a combat unit. His brother, Harold "Hal" Doss, played an integral role in how Desmond came to hold those beliefs. Both Desmond and Harold Doss were raised as Seventh-Day Adventists, which is the foundation of the powerful faith that moves Desmond throughout the events of Hacksaw Ridge.
Desmond takes the Bible, in particular God's Commandments, quite literally, leading to his refusal to touch a gun or kill even in the face of a court-martial and actual physical abuse from his fellow soldiers. In the movie, the groundwork for his beliefs is traced back to an incident in his youth, in which he severely injured his brother Harold in a fight by hitting him in the head with a brick. Harold would recover fully, but the incident is depicted as playing a role in Desmond's aversion to violence. Harold also enlists in the Army without his family's permission, further encouraging Desmond to do the same.
Harold Doss Was In The Navy In Real Life, Not The Army Like In Hacksaw Ridge
While Hacksaw Ridge features a dinner scene with Harold Doss in a full Army outfit after enlisting, the real Harold Doss enlisted in the Navy. Per DesmondDoss.com, Harold Doss served in both Europe and the Pacific during his time as an enlisted man. In 1945, Harold Doss was a crew member on the U.S.S. Lindsey, which was involved in action at Iwo Jima and in the vicious and bloody Okinawa campaign. In April 1945, the U.S.S. Lindsey was severely damaged by two direct hits from Japanese kamikaze planes, and Harold Doss was incorrectly listed as one of the men killed in action as a result.
What Happened To Harold Doss After WW2
In reality, Harold Doss didn't suffer any wounds during his service as an enlisted man. Per his obituary on TributeArchive.com, Harold Doss went on to live a long and seemingly happy life in West Virginia, just a few hours away from where he and Desmond were born. He was the owner and operator of Doss Enterprises, a construction company based in Jane Lew, West Virginia.
Like Desmond, as depicted in Hackasaw Ridge, Harold Doss maintained his faith. He was a member of the Martinsburg Seventh-Day Adventist Church at the time of his death. Harold Doss ed away in 2007 at the age of 84 and was survived by a number of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Source: DesmondDoss.com, TributeArchive.com
