## Truman and the Medal of Honor
On October 12, 1945, Desmond Doss stood at the White House to receive the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman. He was among the relatively small number of soldiers — 431 Medals of Honor were awarded among approximately 16 million men who served in uniform during World War II — to receive the nation’s highest military decoration.
Truman is quoted in multiple accounts as having told Doss: “I would rather have this medal than be the President.” Whether the words are exact or paraphrased, the sentiment they convey was consistent with the public record of how Truman spoke about the Medal of Honor and those who received it.
The General Orders formally issuing the decoration were numbered General Order No. 97 and dated November 1, 1945. The ceremony on October 12 preceded the formal paperwork.
Doss was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor. The citation described him as having served in the period from April 29 through May 21, 1945, with the 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division, near Urasoe-Mura, Okinawa. It credited him with approximately 75 casualties carried or lowered to safety, and with a range of other actions including the specific incidents on May 2, May 4, May 5, and May 21.
The citation’s language described how “his name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division.” This was the assessment of the institution that had spent 1942 trying to discharge him.
General A.D. Bruce of 77th Division Headquarters had begun the award process on the evening of May 5, 1945 — the same day the escarpment rescue occurred. He learned of the actions and initiated the paperwork that evening. The recognition was not long in coming; Doss received the medal in October of the same year.