Chris Edmonds discovered war stories about his father, Roddie. They never discussed them because Roddie died 20 years prior.
Those stories became the basis for the nation’s highest award for military valor. Former Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds received a posthumous Medal of Honor for “acts of gallantry and intrepidity” during WWII. His leadership and courage saved the lives of hundreds of soldiers.
During the Battle of the Bulge toward the end of the war, the Germans captured Edmonds. He was the ranking NCO among the 1200 soldiers in the Ziegenhein stalag. It was a cold day in January 1945 when the Nazi commandant ordered Edmonds to have only the Jewish soldiers report for roll call the next morning. The deadly intent was clear.
The next morning, Edmonds ordered all soldiers to report. Enraged, the commandant pressed a pistol against Edmonds’ forehead and demanded the Jews step forward. “We are all Jews here,” he replied. During that tense moment, he warned the commandant about prosecution for war crimes. Edmonds waited for the verdict. The commandant finally lowered his weapon and stormed back to the warmth of his office.
Later that spring as the Allied forces advanced, the Germans attempted to move the Americans to another camp. Once again, Edmonds defied the captors and ordered the men to remain in the barracks. The Germans abandoned the Americans. The U.S. Army liberated the camp a few days later. All soldiers, including over 200 Jewish-Americans, were free. Among them were Paul Stern, Lester Tanner, and Sonny Fox, all who confirmed the story for the Medal of Honor citation.
Chris says his father lived by extraordinary values informed by his Christian faith. He calls them “Roddie’s C.O.D.E. – Choose God, Oppose Hate, Dignify Life, and Express Love.” His book “No Surrender” describes Roddie as “a simple, soft‑spoken man of deep inner strength and unwavering Christian faith.” That is how he was able to do the right thing.
Knowing and doing the right thing can be difficult and risky. In the Bible, God has given us ways to know the right thing. Even more He gives reasons to stand strong and be different. “If you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks” (1 Pet. 3:14-15). Doing the right thing glorifies God and may well change someone’s life, including your own.
When you do the right thing under duress, you may never know the full outcome. As for Roddie Edmonds, over 13,000 descendants of his soldiers have him to thank for their lives.
“If when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God” (1 Pet. 2:20).