Changes

=== World War II ===  

=== World War II ===  

At age 22, Edmonds enlisted in the Army on March 17, 1941, at [[Fort Oglethorpe (Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia)|Fort Oglethorpe]] in Georgia.<ref name="son" /> Edmonds arrived in the [[European Theater of Operations, United States Army|European Theater of Operations]] in December 1944 with the [[106th Infantry Division (United States)|106th Infantry Division]], arriving only five days before Germany launched the [[Battle of the Bulge]]. During the battle much of the division was overrun and on December 19, 1944, Edmonds was captured and sent to [[Stalag IX-B]]. Shortly thereafter he was transferred to [[Stalag IX-A]] near [[Ziegenhain, Germany]]. As the highest ranking soldier at the camp, [[Master Sergeant]] Edmonds became responsible for the camp's 1,275 American POWs.<ref name="us_solider_2015_12_02_npr_org" /> On January 27, 1945 the German commandant ordered Edmonds to have all Jewish-American soldiers identify themselves the following morning.<ref name="ww2soldier_2015_12_21_cnn" /> Instead, Edmonds ordered all 1,275 prisoners to assemble. When the commandant demanded that Edmonds identify the Jewish soldiers, Edmonds replied: "We are all Jews here." He also warned the commandant that the [[Geneva Conventions]] required prisoners to give only name, rank, and serial number. The commandant backed down.<ref name="ww2soldier_2015_12_21_cnn" /> Edmonds' actions are credited with saving up to 300 Jewish-American soldiers.<ref name="ww2soldier_2015_12_21_cnn" /> == Post-war life == After returning from captivity Edmonds never spoke publicly about the incident. He was later called to serve during the [[Korean War]], serving with the [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]]. After military service he worked for ''[[The Knoxville Journal]]'' and later in sales in the mobile home and cable television industries.<ref name="son" /> He died in 1985.<ref name="ww2soldier_2015_12_21_cnn" />  

At age 22, Edmonds enlisted in the Army on March 17, 1941, at [[Fort Oglethorpe (Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia)|Fort Oglethorpe]] in Georgia. Edmonds arrived in the [[European Theater of Operations, United States Army|European Theater of Operations]] in December 1944 with the [[106th Infantry Division (United States)|106th Infantry Division]], arriving only five days before Germany launched the [[Battle of the Bulge]]. During the battle much of the division was overrun and on December 19, 1944, Edmonds was captured and sent to [[Stalag IX-B]]. Shortly thereafter he was transferred to [[Stalag IX-A]] near [[Ziegenhain, Germany]]. As the highest ranking soldier at the camp, [[Master Sergeant]] Edmonds became responsible for the camp's 1,275 American POWs.<ref name="us_solider_2015_12_02_npr_org" /> On January 27, 1945 the German commandant ordered Edmonds to have all Jewish-American soldiers identify themselves the following morning.<ref name="ww2soldier_2015_12_21_cnn" /> Instead, Edmonds ordered all 1,275 prisoners to assemble. When the commandant demanded that Edmonds identify the Jewish soldiers, Edmonds replied: "We are all Jews here." He also warned the commandant that the [[Geneva Conventions]] required prisoners to give only name, rank, and serial number. The commandant backed down.<ref name="ww2soldier_2015_12_21_cnn" /> Edmonds' actions are credited with saving up to 300 Jewish-American soldiers.<ref name="ww2soldier_2015_12_21_cnn" /> == Post-war life == After returning from captivity Edmonds never spoke publicly about the incident. He was later called to serve during the [[Korean War]], serving with the [[1st Cavalry Division (United States)|1st Cavalry Division]]. After military service he worked for ''[[The Knoxville Journal]]'' and later in sales in the mobile home and cable television industries.<ref name="son" /> He died in 1985.<ref name="ww2soldier_2015_12_21_cnn" />

== Recognition and legacy ==  

== Recognition and legacy ==