AJC
AJC

Bill Torpy and the hero of Hacksaw Ridge

At left, Andrew Garfield portrays Desmond Doss in the new movie "Hacksaw Ridge." At right is the real Desmond Doss, receiving his Medal of Honor from Harry Truman.
At left, Andrew Garfield portrays Desmond Doss in the new movie "Hacksaw Ridge." At right is the real Desmond Doss, receiving his Medal of Honor from Harry Truman.
Nov 11, 2016

Mel Gibson's bloody new war movie highlights the heroism of the man who saved dozens of GIs at Hacksaw Ridge.

He's Desmond Doss, and he lived quietly in the north Georgia mountains for many years after his World War II exploits.

Columnist Bill Torpy interviewed Desmond Doss and, years later, wrote his obituary for the AJC.

More Stories

Featured

Mathew Palmer, a former Delta Air Lines employee, at his home in Atlanta on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025. Palmer was fired less than two weeks after writing a post on social media about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Natrice Miller/AJC)
EXCLUSIVE

Delta flight attendant fired for Kirk-related social post speaks out

Mathew Palmer, a Delta flight attendant, was suspended by the airline the day after writing a Facebook post about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s voters are sticking with her through her political evolution

Congresswoman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s supporters are sticking with her even as she splits from Republican Party leadership

Truck driver arrested after 8th victim found in wreckage of I-85 crash

A tractor-trailer struck the back of a Dodge van, causing the van to go up in flames. The crash involved 6 vehicles, one of which was a van transporting 37 cats to a shelter.