Trump awards Medal of Honor to three soldiers for ‘unsurpassed courage’

President Trump Honors Three U.S. Army Heroes with Medal of Honor

President Donald Trump bestowed the nation’s highest military decoration upon three U.S. Army soldiers during a solemn White House ceremony on Monday, recognizing acts of extraordinary valor spanning three different conflicts.

In an emotional ceremony in the East Room, Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to Command Sergeant Major Terry P. Richardson, while posthumously honoring Master Sgt. Roderick “Roddie” W. Edmonds and Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis. The president described the recipients as “three really incredible American heroes” who demonstrated “unsurpassed courage” in the face of mortal danger.

“Today you entered the ranks of the bravest warriors ever to strike the face of the earth,” Trump told Richardson, the sole living recipient at the ceremony.

Master Sgt. Edmonds was recognized for his remarkable courage as a prisoner of war during World War II. In 1944, after fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, Edmonds and 1,200 fellow American soldiers were captured by German forces and marched to a POW camp. As the highest-ranking infantryman, Edmonds became responsible for his fellow prisoners’ welfare.

In January 1945, when Nazi officers ordered all Jewish American soldiers to identify themselves at roll call—a directive that would have meant certain death for over 200 Jewish servicemen—Edmonds orchestrated a defiant response. The next morning, all 1,200 American prisoners stood in formation together.

“Enraged, the Nazi commandant rushed forward, drew his Luger pistol, and pressed the barrel between Sgt. Edmonds’ eyes,” Trump recounted. “He barked at Roddie, ‘They cannot all be Jews!’ And, staring straight back into the raging face of evil, Sgt. Edmonds replied fearlessly, ‘We are all Jews here.'”

The Nazi officer ultimately backed down, and Edmonds’ act of moral courage saved hundreds of lives. Edmonds’ son, Chris, accepted the medal on behalf of his father, who died in 1985.

Command Sergeant Major Richardson was honored for his extraordinary heroism during the Vietnam War. On September 12, 1968, Richardson’s 102-man Alpha Company encountered an overwhelming enemy force while attempting to secure Hill 222. Heavily outnumbered and under intense fire, Richardson displayed remarkable bravery by repeatedly exposing himself to enemy fire to rescue wounded comrades.

Realizing air support was their only chance for survival, Richardson, despite his own injuries, climbed to the top of the hill alone through enemy fire to reach a location where radio communication was possible. For eight hours, he remained exposed to enemy fire while directing tactical airstrikes. A sniper’s bullet tore through his leg, but Richardson persisted for seven more hours until the enemy finally retreated.

“Due to Terry’s actions above and beyond the call of duty, 82 men of Alpha Company survived this battle,” Trump noted, acknowledging two of those survivors, Norm Meyer and Dave Hemmer, who were present at the ceremony.

The final recipient, Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, was recognized for his ultimate sacrifice during a 2013 attack on a NATO base in Afghanistan. After terrorists detonated a massive car bomb creating a breach in the compound’s perimeter, Ollis rushed to respond without proper protective gear. He encountered a Polish soldier, and together they faced heavy enemy fire.

When the Polish soldier was severely wounded by shrapnel, a suicide bomber appeared and charged toward them. Without hesitation, Ollis positioned himself between the insurgent and the wounded soldier.

“He shielded him with his own body,” Trump said solemnly. “You know, bravery is amazing. You never really know who’s brave, who’s not until they’re really tested.”

Ollis fired his weapon just as the terrorist detonated his vest. The 24-year-old American soldier was killed instantly, but his selfless action saved the life of Polish 2nd Lt. Karol Cierpika, who attended the ceremony and was personally recognized by Trump.

The Medal of Honor, established during the Civil War, requires “incontestable proof of extraordinary merit” and is reserved for service members who demonstrate “gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their own lives above and beyond the call of duty.” The actions of these three soldiers—spanning World War II, Vietnam, and Afghanistan—exemplify the highest traditions of American military service and self-sacrifice.