Memorials, Recognition - Master Sergeant Roderick “Roddie” W. Edmonds, posthumous receipt of Medal of Honor -

This Tennessee Senate Joint Resolution honors Master Sergeant Roderick "Roddie" W. Edmonds, a World War II veteran who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions as a prisoner of war. The resolution recognizes Edmonds' leadership in December 1944 when he refused to identify Jewish-American prisoners to Nazi commanders, an act that saved over 200 soldiers from deportation to concentration camps. This commemorative measure formally acknowledges Edmonds' extraordinary courage and moral character, noting he is one of only five Americans recognized as Righteous Among the Nations and the sole recipient of both that honor and the Medal of Honor. The resolution serves to publicly recognize Edmonds' legacy and the values he represented during his service.