Edmonds, Roderick, M/SGT

Master Sgt. Rodrick Waring Edmonds was born August 20, 1919, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Knoxville is the Eastern edge of what liberal cynics call flyover, bible belt, country.  He preferred to be called Roddie.  Edmunds was called up to service during World War II.  He was a master sergeant in the 106^th Infantry Division.  December 19, 1944, in the early days of the Battle of the Bulge, two of the three green 106^th regiments were overrun by attacking Germans.  Edmonds was part of the 422^nd Infantry Regiment.  It was forced to surrender to the Germans in the sudden onslaught.  Edmonds was captured and taken to Stalag IX, a prisoner of war camp, near Ziegenhain, Germany. Officers were held in different camps.  Edmonds was the highest-ranking non-Commissioned officer, of the 1275 men being held by the Nazis in Stalag IX.

He was released from his first enlistment on 3 October 1945 and enlisted again on 19 September 1950. On 10 August 1951, he was released for the second time from military service. Interestingly, he never told his wife or children about his actions. Two Tennessee United States Senators, Republicans, and two Democrat Senators filed legislation in February 2017 to award the Congressional Gold Medal (MOH) to Edmonds.