Ooltewah in Collegedale in Hamilton County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Corporal Desmond T. Doss

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, March 16, 2025

1. Corporal Desmond T. Doss Marker

Inscription.

Corporal Desmond T. Doss. . Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Corporal Desmond T. Doss 12 October 1945 Presented by: United States President: Harry S. Truman, I'm proud of you; you really deserve this. I consider this a greater honor than being President." - Harry Truman, Citation. The President of the United States of America, authorized by an act of Congress, 3 March 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress The Medal of Honor to: Desmond T. Doss Private First Class, United States Army, Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high, as our troops carried the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back, Private Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the mainly stricken, carrying them one by one to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of the cliff to friendly hands. , On 2 May, he exposed himself to heavy rifle fire and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and two days later he treated four men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within eight yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making four separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety., On 5 May, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small arms fire and, while artillery and mortar shells fells close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from cave, Private Doss crawled to him here he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire., On 21 May, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. rather than call another aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Private Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers' return, he was again struck, this time suffering a compound fracture of one arm. With magnificent fortitude, he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station., Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions, Private Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.

Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
Corporal Desmond T. Doss
12 October 1945
Presented by: United States President: Harry S. Truman

I'm proud of you; you really deserve this. I consider this a greater honor than being President." - Harry Truman

Citation The President of the United States of America, authorized by an act of Congress, 3 March 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress The Medal of Honor to:
Desmond T. Doss
Private First Class, United States Army, Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division
He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high, as our troops carried the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back, Private Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the mainly stricken, carrying them one by one to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of the cliff to friendly hands.

On 2 May, he exposed himself to heavy rifle fire and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and two days later he treated four men who

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had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within eight yards of enemy forces in a cave's mouth, where he dressed his comrades' wounds before making four separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety.

On 5 May, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small arms fire and, while artillery and mortar shells fells close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from cave, Private Doss crawled to him here he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire.

On 21 May, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. rather than call another aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, March 16, 2025

2. Corporal Desmond T. Doss Marker

him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Private Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers' return, he was again struck, this time suffering a compound fracture of one arm. With magnificent fortitude, he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station.

Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions, Private Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Heroes. In addition, it is included in the Medal of Honor Recipients series list. A significant historical date for this entry is October 12, 1945.

Location. 35° 3.758′ N, 85° 4.149′ W. Marker is in Collegedale, Tennessee, in Hamilton County. It is in Ooltewah. It can be reached from Apison Pike west of Tennessee Route 321, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Ooltewah TN 37363, United States of America.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, March 16, 2025

3. Corporal Desmond T. Doss Marker

Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: AH-1 Cobra Attack Helicopter (here, next to this marker); Cannonballs (a few steps from this marker); M48 A5 Patton Tank (a few steps from this marker); TA-4J Douglas Skyhawk Transonic Attack/Trainer (within shouting distance of this marker); County of James (approx. 0.8 miles away); Kenneth A. Wright Hall (approx. 1.4 miles away); Order of the Southern Cross (approx. 3½ miles away); N.B. Forrest Camp U.C.V and U.D.C. Chapters (approx. 3.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Collegedale.

Also see . . .
1. Desmond Thomas Doss Collection. (Submitted on July 11, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
2. Corporal Desmond T. Doss. (Submitted on July 11, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Statue of Corporal Desmond T. Doss image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, March 16, 2025

4. Statue of Corporal Desmond T. Doss

Corporal Desmond T. Doss image. Click for full size.

Public Domain - US Army - Wikipedia

5. Corporal Desmond T. Doss

Credits. This page was last revised on September 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 10, 2025, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 155 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 10, 2025, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. 5. submitted on July 11, 2025, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.