Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds, a South Knoxville native who stood up to a Nazi officer to protect Jewish American prisoners during World War II, is set to receive the Medal of Honor posthumously. The long-awaited recognition caps decades of work by his family and by veterans who say Edmonds' order, "We are all Jews here," helped spare roughly 200 men from Nazi persecution.
Congress cleared the legal path
Congress added language waiving statutory time limits so the president can award the Medal of Honor for Edmonds' World War II actions, according to Congress.gov. Local station WBIR reported that President Donald Trump phoned a family member to confirm the planned award and that the Medal of Honor presentation would happen posthumously.
What he did at Stalag IX‑A
Eyewitness accounts and archival records say that on Jan. 27, 1945, Edmonds ordered more than 1,200 American POWs to form up together rather than separate out the Jewish men among them. When a German officer demanded the Jewish prisoners, Edmonds replied, "We are all Jews here," and refused to single out anyone. The episode and its witnesses are documented by Yad Vashem and have been profiled in national outlets, including Time.
Local campaign, national recognition
Edmonds' son, Pastor Chris Edmonds, along with veterans and Jewish organizations, has pushed for formal U.S. recognition for years. Members of Congress have introduced various measures to honor him, including efforts to secure a Congressional Gold Medal, according to a release from Sen. Marsha Blackburn's office. The Department of Veterans Affairs and other outlets have highlighted Edmonds' story and the long-running campaign by his family, with VA News recently summarizing his life and the ongoing effort to see his actions fully recognized.
What comes next
With the congressional waiver in place, the president now has the legal authority to award the Medal of Honor. Family members and local supporters say they are waiting on word about scheduling and ceremony details, according to WBIR. If and when the White House sets a date, the event would join a short list of posthumous Medal of Honor presentations that address historic oversights and recognize acts of conscience alongside battlefield valor.
