VETERANS OF THE DAY
March 2, 2026
Honoring Today’s Medal of Honor Recipients
Today we recognize three American warriors whose courage transcended era, battlefield, and circumstance.
The Medal of Honor represents valor beyond survival — beyond instinct — beyond self.
Today we honor:
- Roderick Edmonds
- Terry Richardson
- Michael Ollis
Master Sgt. Roderick “Roddie” Edmonds
U.S. Army — World War II
Battle of the Bulge — January 1945
Captured during the Battle of the Bulge, Edmonds became the senior-ranking American enlisted soldier in a German POW camp.
When Nazi guards ordered all Jewish American soldiers to step forward, Edmonds instead ordered every American prisoner to stand together.
When threatened with execution, he replied:
“We are all Jews here.”
His defiance saved the lives of Jewish-American soldiers and stands as one of the most morally courageous acts of World War II.
Command Sgt. Maj. Terry Richardson
U.S. Army — Iraq War
During intense combat operations in Iraq, Richardson demonstrated extraordinary leadership under fire. Exposing himself repeatedly to enemy fire, he moved through dangerous positions to coordinate defenses, protect wounded soldiers, and maintain order amid chaos.
His actions ensured survival for members of his unit when circumstances threatened collapse.
Leadership is tested in seconds. Richardson answered that test without hesitation.
Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis
U.S. Army — Afghanistan War
Killed in Action — August 28, 2013
During an insider attack at a forward operating base in Afghanistan, Staff Sgt. Ollis placed himself between a suicide bomber and a Polish officer.
He charged the attacker and absorbed the blast.
He gave his life so another would live.
Ollis represented the post-9/11 generation — soldiers who stepped forward in a new kind of war, facing threats that came without warning.
THREE ERAS. ONE STANDARD.
- World War II
- Iraq
- Afghanistan
Different battlefields. Same courage.
Edmonds stood against hatred.
Richardson stood firm under fire.
Ollis stepped into death so another could live.
That is the Medal of Honor.
LEGACY
These men did not act for recognition.
They acted because others depended on them.
And now their names join the highest roll of American valor.
Honor The Fallen. Support The Living. Teach The Next Generation.
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