Rep. Burchett reintroduces bill to award Congressional Gold Medal to Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds
WASHINGTON, D.C., (Feb. 5, 2025) – This week, U.S. Congressman Tim Burchett (TN-02) reintroducedthe Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds Congressional Gold Medal Act. Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) is co-leading the bill with Rep. Burchett.
"Roddie Edmonds showed incredible bravery that should make every American proud," said Rep. Burchett. "He fearlessly faced down Nazi soldiers during World War II and saved hundreds of Jewish lives when he refused to turn in his fellow Jewish servicemembers, even at gunpoint. This Congressional Gold Medal is a fitting way to honor his legacy."
"During a period of darkness, hatred and vile antisemitism, Roddie Edmonds showed unmatched bravery and solidarity. His decision to stand by his fellow soldiers against the atrocities of Nazi Germany saved hundreds of Jewish American lives, and Congress can't let that be forgotten. By honoring Roddie with this Congressional Gold Medal, we will stand with a humble American hero and ensure that his legacy of moral fortitude lives on," said Rep. Moskowitz.
Master Sergeant Edmonds was a lifelong East Tennessean. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge where Nazi forces captured and detained him at a prisoner of war camp. MSG Edmonds was one of 1,200 American soldiers captured by the Germans. He was a prisoner of war for 100 days.
During his detainment, German soldiers ordered Jewish POWs to identify themselves so they could be separately sent to labor and concentration camps. When MSG Edmonds was held at gunpoint and ordered to surrender the identity of the Jewish soldiers in his company, he refused and stated, "We are all Jews here." Their identities were never given, and the German soldiers eventually ceased their interrogation, saving over 200 Jewish soldiers' lives.
Since Edmonds' death in 1985, Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, designated him "Righteous Among the Nations" for his heroism. He is one of only five Americans to receive this award.
Supporting group: Project Legacy
"With alarming studies indicating that many young people lack awareness of the Holocaust and the disturbing rise of Holocaust denial, the decision to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Roddie Edmonds becomes even more significant as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of this pivotal moment in history." --Ezra Friedlander, Founder of Project Legacy
"With antisemitism and hatred on the rise, there's no better time to honor my father than this year, the 80th anniversaries of his heroic actions, the liberation of Auschwitz, and the end of World War II. Like the story of Queen Esther in the Bible, dad's moral courage is timeless and transformative -- a story for such a time as this that inspires us all." -- Pastor Chris Edmonds, CEO of Roddie's Code and Roddie Edmonds' Son
"Roddie Edmonds was a true American hero and a great humanitarian. In a time of rising anti-Semitism and bigotry, it is more important than ever to honor those who risked their lives to save others at the nadir of humanity, the Holocaust. Roddie Edmonds is unique for having rescued not only Jews, but his fellow Jewish-American soldiers, and his incredible story is an abject lesson for all who wish for a peaceful and kinder world." -- Richard Hurowitz, Author of "In the Garden of the Righteous:The Heroes Who Risked Their Lives to Save Jews During the Holocaust" and co-chair of the Roddie Edmonds Congressional Gold Medal Committee