‘Hacksaw Ridge’ Tells True Story of WWII Medic Who Refused to Use Weapon or Kill in Battle

The story of Desmond Doss, the first ever “conscientious objector” to receive a Medal of Honor, is now the basis for a thrilling new movie from the Academy Award-winning director of Braveheart.

Hacksaw Ridge follows Doss from his time in bootcamp where he’s criticized for his inability to “save” his comrades by not carrying a weapon, to his heroics on the battlefield where he proves that having a weapon isn’t the only way to save people.

According to Wikipedia, Doss was drafted into the Army in April 1942, but refused to kill or carry a weapon into combat because of his personal beliefs as a Seventh-day Adventist. Doss would become a medic who served in Okinawa in the Pacific where he is credited with saving numerous lives while always adhering to his religious beliefs. Doss was wounded three times during the war and developed tuberculosis before being discharged. He received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman.

Andrew Garfield plays Doss, and stars alongside Teresa Palmer, Sam Worthington, Vince Vaughn, and Hugo Weaving.

Hacksaw Ridge was directed by Mel Gibson and opens in theaters on Nov. 4.