Trump Awards Medal of Honor to 3 US Soldiers at White House

The recipients were retired Command Sgt. Maj. Terry P. Richardson, Master Sgt. Roderick W. Edmonds, and Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis.

Ret. Command Sgt. Maj. Terry P. Richardson is presented the Medal of Honor by U.S. President Donald Trump during a Medal of Honor Ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington on March 2, 2026. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

President Donald Trump awarded Medals of Honor to three U.S. Army soldiers in a White House ceremony on March 2, commending their courageous acts during military conflicts.

The recipients were retired Command Sgt. Maj. Terry P. Richardson, Master Sgt. Roderick W. Edmonds, and Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, with Edmonds and Ollis receiving the award posthumously.

“This powerful moment once again made clear that honoring the bravest among us is not a partisan issue, but one that unites us through treasured American values,” Cory Crowley, executive vice president of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, said in a statement.

Richardson was recognized for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War, which were credited with saving the lives of 85 of his fellow service members.

When his unit came under attack by a North Vietnamese Army battalion on Sept. 14, 1968, Richardson braved intense enemy fire to drag three wounded soldiers back to safety.

With his platoon surrounded, Richardson made his way up to Hill 222, the only place where he could get radio reception to call in air support. Despite coming under enemy sniper fire and being wounded, he guided 32 airstrikes for seven hours until enemy forces retreated, according to the U.S. Army.

“Terry summoned unimaginable courage. Three times. He exposed himself to enemy fire to rescue severely wounded comrades, and three times he dragged them back to the group,” Trump said.

Ollis, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2013, was honored posthumously, with his parents accepting the Medal of Honor on his behalf. He was credited with saving a wounded Polish officer.

On Aug. 28, 2013, an enemy attack was launched against the Forward Operating Base in Afghanistan, where Ollis was stationed. The attack involved car bombs, suicide vests, indirect fire, and small-arms fire.

Ollis located a Polish officer while checking for casualties inside a building, and together, they moved toward the point of attack armed only with rifles, according to the U.S. Army.

When an insurgent came around a corner and engaged them with small-arms fire, Ollis positioned himself between the insurgent and the wounded Polish officer, and shot the insurgent and incapacitated him before the insurgent’s suicide vest detonated.

“Michael raised his gun and forced himself between the insurgent and the man he just met, shielding him with his own body. He knew what was going to happen. He shielded him with his own body,” Trump said. “You know, bravery is amazing. You never really know who’s brave, who’s not, until they’re really tested.”

Edmonds, who died in 1985 in Knoxville, was honored for his bravery during World War II, with his son accepting the award on his behalf.

After being captured by German forces and held as a prisoner of war at Stalag IX-B in Bad Orb, Germany, he was placed in charge of the American barracks on Jan. 26. 1945, according to the U.S. Army.

Later that day, German officials ordered Edmonds that only Jewish American prisoners report for roll call the following morning. Knowing that segregating more than 200 Jewish prisoners would put them at risk of persecution and possible death, Edmonds ordered all 1,200 American prisoners to stand for roll call.

He told the Nazi commandant, “We are all Jews here,” and cited the Geneva Convention’s protections for all prisoners. The commandant eventually withdrew without pursuing further attempts to segregate the Jewish prisoners from the larger group.

“The WWII hero, at gunpoint, refused German orders to identify Jewish-American soldiers in captivity, saving over 200 lives,” the White House said in a post on X.