On May 5^th the tide turned against the Americans as the Japanese launched a huge counterattack. Enemy fire raked Company B and almost immediately 75 men fell wounded.  The remaining troops who were able to flee, retreated back down to the base of the escarpment.  Left at the top of the cliff were the wounded, the Japanese, and Desmond T. Doss.

  For the next five hours, while his wounded comrades fought back their attackers, Doss began to lower man after man to safety down the face of the cliff using little more than a tree stump and a rope. Doss said that he just kept praying that the Lord would let him rescue one more man.  No one knows for sure how many men Doss lowered to safety that day.  The Army determined that this medic, whom no one had wanted in the Army, had personally saved 100 lives.  Doss humbly said it couldn’t have been more than 50.  Because of Doss’ humble estimate, when the citation for his Medal of Honor was written, they split the difference and he was credited with saving the lives of 75 of his fellow soldiers.

by MATTHEW  SOPER with contributions by MARK REIMAN http://www.incrediblepeople.com/people(2002-04-23).htm