'Hacksaw Ridge' Countdown to the Oscars

Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge has been nominated for Best Picture and Gibson as Best Director for an Oscar. What are the chances of either winning? Unfortunately, because of Gibson’s personal problems, probably none; but I’m going for it (need to see two more nominated films first). So far, in contrast to the other films seen, it’s a standout. Look for final predictions by the 26th of February.

This article posted on October 30th:

One of the greatest heroes in American History never fired a bullet! That hero was WWII American Army Medic Desmond T. Doss who served during the Battle of Okinawa. He refused to bear arms and kill people over his religious upholding of the Sixth Commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” He became the first Conscientious Objector in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor for highhandedly rescuing roughly 75 of his wounded comrades while under heavy mortar and gunfire.

President Truman awarded Doss the Medal of Honor on October 12, 1945. “When my time came, I went up,” said Doss of the ceremony. “President Truman, he came out and he stepped over the line, he caught me by my hands, shook my hand like I was an old-time friend, somebody he had known all his life. He didn’t even give me a chance to get nervous.” excerpt from Medal of Honor: Oral Histories. Doss died on March 23, 2006.