Image: Master Sergeant Roderick W. “Roddie” Edmonds & Historical marker for Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds, outside the East Tennessee History Center Image Credit: Congressional Medal of Honor Society & Jrryjude via Wikipedia SA 4.0
Submitted by Jennifer Hay [founder of Knoxville Nobility] –
On March 2, 2026, President Donald Trump posthumously awarded Master Sergeant Roderick “Roddie” Edmonds—a lifelong native of Knoxville, Tennessee—the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions as the ranking American officer at a Nazi prisoner-of-war (POW) camp.
On January 26, 1945, Major Siegmann—a Nazi officer with orders from the Wehrmacht High Command—arrived at the camp where Edmonds and more than 1,200 American soldiers were being held together with other Allied prisoners. Siegmann ordered all prisoners of Jewish descent to present themselves at roll call the following morning. Anyone who failed to comply would be shot. As the ranking American officer, Edmonds instead ordered all American prisoners to assemble at the appointed time.
Seeing the entire American camp lined up in formation, Siegmann confronted Edmonds and barked, “They can’t all be Jewish.”
Edmonds responded calmly, “We are all Jews here.”
Even as Siegmann put a gun to his head, Edmonds stood his ground and reminded Siegmann of his obligations under the Geneva convention. The Nazi officer finally lowered his weapon and walked away.
As the Allied forces advanced in the spring of 1945, the Nazis planned to evacuate the camp, moving the prisoners further east. Edmonds directed the American prisoners to resist these orders by rushing back to their barracks and feigning illness. While British, French, and Russian prisoners were loaded onto transports, the Americans continued their resistance. Eventually the Germans abandoned the camp, leaving all the American prisoners behind to be liberated within hours.
The citation for Edmond’s award reads:
“The full extent of his bravery, unbending will, and courageous leadership would be realized when soldiers from 3d U.S. Army liberated the camp on March 30, 1945. Master Sergeant Edmonds’ conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.”
The Medal of Honor is the highest military award in the United States. It is given to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through extraordinary acts of valor in combat.
In 2015, Edmonds was recognized as Righteous Among the Nations, the highest honor bestowed by the State of Israel upon non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Edmonds is the only American soldier to have received this honor.
An award-winning 38-minute documentary, Footsteps of My Father, tells the story of Edmonds’ heroism—from engagement to liberation—through Edmonds’ own words as recorded in his journal and the testimony of four fellow Jewish-American soldiers who were with him in captivity. Produced by The Jewish Foundation for the Righteous (JFR) and narrated by Ted Koppel, JFR is offering unlimited viewing till the end of March in recognition of the recent Medal of Honor award.
After his discharge in October 1945, Edmonds came back to Knoxville where he worked until he returned to active duty during the Korean War. In 1953, he married Mary Ann Watson; they had two sons, Kim and Chris.
According to his family, Edmonds continued to serve in civilian life, coaching baseball and volunteering at nursing homes and homeless shelters. He died in Knoxville on August 8, 1985.
Edmonds’ son Chris—interim senior pastor of Oakwood Baptist Church in Knoxville—has taken up the mission of inspiring heroes everywhere by telling the story of his father’s heroism. Together with Douglas Century, Chris Edmonds wrote No Surrender, a book about his father’s story and his own journey to uncover it.
The author is grateful for Pastor Chris Edmonds’ critical review of this article.
About the Author: Jennifer Hay is the founder of Knoxville Nobility, a Substack publication for local pro-life, pro-family news and insights.
