Trump Awards Medal of Honor to Three Soldiers for 'Unsurpassed Courage'

The president posthumously awarded the medal to two soldiers and presented it to a living recipient.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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President Donald Trump awarded the Medal of Honor to three U.S. Army soldiers in a White House ceremony, honoring their 'unsurpassed courage.' The president posthumously awarded the medal to Master Sgt. Roderick (Roddie) W. Edmonds and Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, and presented the medal to Command Sergeant Major Terry P. Richardson.

Why it matters

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration presented by the United States government to members of the armed forces who distinguish themselves through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life in actual combat against an enemy of the United States. These awards highlight the bravery and sacrifice of American soldiers in the face of enemy forces.

The details

For Edmonds, the president recounted how he saved over 200 Jewish American soldiers from certain death at a Nazi POW camp during World War II. For Richardson, the president detailed his heroic actions in Vietnam, where he exposed himself to enemy fire three times to rescue wounded comrades and then spent hours calling in air support while under heavy fire, sustaining severe injuries. For Ollis, the president described how he shielded a wounded Polish soldier with his own body, sacrificing his life to stop a Taliban suicide bomber.

  • On July 26, 1945, a Nazi SS officer ordered only Jewish American soldiers to report for roll call at the POW camp where Edmonds was held.
  • On September 12, 1968, Richardson's Alpha Company was tasked with securing Hill 222 in Vietnam.
  • On August 28, 2013, terrorists detonated a car bomb and swarmed into a NATO compound in Afghanistan, where Ollis was killed.

The players

Roderick (Roddie) W. Edmonds

A Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II who saved over 200 Jewish American soldiers from certain death at a Nazi POW camp.

Terry P. Richardson

A Command Sergeant Major in the U.S. Army who displayed heroic actions in Vietnam, including exposing himself to enemy fire to rescue wounded comrades and calling in air support while severely injured.

Michael H. Ollis

A Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army who sacrificed his life to shield a wounded Polish soldier from a Taliban suicide bomber in Afghanistan.

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What they’re saying

“We are all Jews here.”

— Roderick (Roddie) W. Edmonds, Master Sergeant (White House)

“Bravery is amazing. You never really know who's brave, who's not until they're really tested.”

— Donald Trump, President of the United States (White House)

The takeaway

These Medal of Honor recipients exemplify the highest ideals of service and sacrifice, risking their lives to protect their fellow soldiers and uphold American values even in the face of overwhelming adversity. Their actions will inspire generations of Americans to come.