Earlier today, March 2, 2026, President Trump presented the Medal of Honor to three U.S. Army service members during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House. The awards recognize extraordinary acts of valor across three different conflicts: World War II, the Vietnam War, and the war in Afghanistan.
Two of the medals were awarded posthumously, while one was presented to a living veteran.
The Recipients
| Recipient | Conflict | Action & Legacy |
| CSM Terry P. Richardson (Ret.) | Vietnam War | Credited with saving the lives of 85 fellow soldiers during a 1968 reconnaissance mission in Loc Ninh. Despite being wounded by a sniper, he directed airstrikes for seven hours. |
| SSG Michael H. Ollis (Posthumous) | Afghanistan | Killed in action in 2013 while shielding a Polish Army officer from a suicide bomber during an insurgent attack on Forward Operating Base Ghazni. |
| MSG Roderick W. Edmonds (Posthumous) | World War II | A prisoner of war in 1945 who famously defied a Nazi commandant’s order to identify Jewish soldiers, stating “We are all Jews here,” saving approximately 200 lives. |
Key Highlights from the Ceremony
- Terry Richardson was present for the ceremony and was praised by the President as a “brave man” and “central casting.”
- The families of Michael Ollis and Roderick Edmonds accepted the awards on their behalf.
- The President used the occasion to touch on current military priorities, including recent preemptive actions in Iran (Operation Absolute Resolve) and his broader vision for national defense.
These awards follow a historic moment just last week during the State of the Union, where the President also awarded the Medal of Honor to Army CW5 Eric Slover (for recent actions in Venezuela) and 100-year-old Navy Captain Royce Williams (for his 1952 dogfight against Soviet jets).
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