While imprisoned in a German POW camp during World War II, Roddie Edmonds displayed remarkable moral courage. After a German officer demanded that Jewish American prisoners identify themselves, Edmonds refused to comply and instead responded, “We are all Jews here.” Knowing that open defiance could cost him his life, he chose solidarity and principle over his own safety. His actions helped shield numerous fellow prisoners from potential persecution and have since become a lasting symbol of courage, leadership, and humanity under extreme circumstances.
Roddie Edmonds’ early life and enlistment in the US Army
Roddie Edmonds was born on August 20, 1919, in South Knoxville, Tennessee. There isn’t much information about his childhood, but we do know he had three brothers, graduated from Knoxville High School in 1938, and was a member of a local Methodist church.
He joined the U.S. Army about nine months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. At 22 years old, he enlisted at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia.
Deployed to Europe
As the Second World War raged across Europe and the Pacific, Roddie Edmonds was sent to Europe with the 422nd Infantry Regiment, part of the 106th Infantry Division. Although he held the position of the highest-ranking noncommissioned officer (NCO) in his regiment, he never flaunted his rank.
“He did not throw his rank around,” fellow veteran Lester J. Tanner shared with Yad Vashem. “You knew he knew his stuff, and he got across to you without being arrogant or inconsiderate. I admired him for his command… We were in combat on the front lines for only a short period, but it was clear that Roddie Edmonds was a man of great courage who led his men with the same capacity we had come to know in the States.”
In December 1944, just five days before the Germans launched the Battle of the Bulge, Edmonds arrived in the European Theater. He fought bravely alongside his fellow soldiers in the 106th, but soon found himself surrounded by enemy forces.
Becoming a prisoner of war (POW)
The majority of the soldiers under Roddie Edmonds had little choice but to surrender, overwhelmed by advancing German troops and unable to avoid being taken prisoner. Edmonds managed to resist for a short time longer, but he too was forced to concede to the enemy on December 21, 1944.
Following their capture, Edmonds and the men in his unit endured a difficult journey to Stalag IX-B, a German prisoner of war camp near Bad Orb in the Hesse region. They first marched roughly 50 kilometers to Gerolstein and then spent seven exhausting days crammed into railway boxcars with almost no food or water.
Once they reached Stalag IX-B, German authorities divided the prisoners into three categories: enlisted men, officers, and noncommissioned officers. Because Edmonds was an NCO, he was quickly reassigned to Stalag IX-A near Ziegenhain, where his leadership and bravery would eventually face their greatest challenge.
Roddie Edmonds stood up for his Jewish comrades
Roddie Edmonds assumed the role of senior-ranking noncommissioned officer at Stalag IX-A, overseeing the camp’s 1,275 American prisoners of war.
On January 27, 1945, the camp commandant ordered Edmonds to present only the Jewish-American soldiers for roll call the next day, with the intent of segregating them from the rest. Sensing the threat this posed to his Jewish comrades, Edmonds defied the order and instructed all the POWs to gather outside their barracks.
Enraged, the commandant drew a pistol and demanded Edmonds identify the Jewish soldiers, threatening to kill him. Unfazed, Edmonds calmly responded, “We are all Jews,” and reminded the German officer that he would be held accountable for war crimes under the Geneva Convention if any harm befell the men, stating they were only obligated to provide their name, serial number, and rank—not their religion.
Recognizing he had been outwitted, the commandant lowered his weapon. Edmonds’ courageous stand is credited with saving the lives of between 200 and 300 Jewish soldiers.
Surviving the war
After enduring 100 days as a prisoner of war in Germany, Roddie Edmonds returned to the United States but kept the details of his ordeal at Stalag IX-B largely to himself, sharing little even with close family.
He later rejoined military service during the Korean War before retiring. In civilian life, Edmonds worked in mobile home and cable sales and held positions at The Knoxville Journal, a local newspaper. Over the years, he married three times. When he passed away on August 8, 1985, he was laid to rest at Berry Highland Memorial Cemetery in Knoxville, his extraordinary wartime heroism still unknown to the public.
It was only through the persistent efforts of his son, Rev. Chris Edmonds, that Roddie’s story of courage and selflessness came to light, finally securing the recognition his remarkable integrity and bravery had long warranted.
Roddie Edmonds was honored by Yad Vashem
After uncovering his father’s wartime journals, Chris Edmonds became increasingly devoted to understanding the full story behind them. Seeking additional perspective, he contacted veterans who had been imprisoned alongside Roddie Edmonds at Stalag IX-A. Their testimony highlighted the extraordinary courage Edmonds displayed and the number of lives his actions may have protected, eventually bringing the story to the attention of Yad Vashem.
In February 2015, Edmonds was posthumously recognized as Righteous Among the Nations, a title granted to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. Nearly a year later, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2016, a formal ceremony honoring him was held at the Israeli Embassy with attendance by Barack Obama.
Among approximately 25,000 individuals worldwide to receive the honor, Edmonds is one of only five Americans and remains the sole U.S. service member from World War II to be awarded this distinction.
Push to award Roddie Edmonds the Congressional Gold Medal
While happy his father was honored by Yad Vashem, Chris is pushing for more recognition from the United States. He’d initially sought for Roddie Edmonds to be awarded the Medal of Honor, but this was denied, as his actions didn’t occur in combat.
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There has since been a push to posthumously award Edmonds with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award handed out by the US Congress. This has had the backing of many, with the Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds Congressional Gold Medal Act being introduced in the House on April 24, 2023.
There has been no notable action since this date.