What’s going on with the legacy of Medal of Honor recipient Charles Rogers? A webpage dedicated to this decorated Vietnam War veteran, who was also the highest-ranking African American to receive the prestigious award, has mysteriously vanished from the US Department of Defense website. This article delves into the details of this unexpected removal and the potential reasons behind it, sparking questions about the current administration’s stance on diversity and inclusion.
Key Takeaways:
- The US Department of Defense has removed the webpage honoring Medal of Honor recipient Charles Rogers.
- Charles Rogers was a highly decorated African American Army Major General who served in the Vietnam War and received the Medal of Honor in 1970.
- The webpage now leads to a “404” error, and the URL has been altered to include “deimedal,” potentially linking the removal to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policy changes.
- The removal has sparked public discussion and concerns regarding the recognition of African American military history.
- The Defense Department has not yet provided a public statement explaining the removal.
The Vanishing Webpage of a Medal of Honor Hero
A dedicated webpage on the US Department of Defense website that honored Army Major General Charles Calvin Rogers, a distinguished Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War, has been taken down. Visitors attempting to access the page are now met with a “404 – Page Not Found” error [Source: Times Now].
URL Change Sparks Speculation
Adding to the mystery, the URL for the webpage has been altered. The word “medal” in the original URL has been replaced with “deimedal,” with the addition of the letters “DEI.” This change has led to speculation that the removal might be connected to the current United States administration’s efforts to roll back Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs within the federal government [Source: The Guardian].
Who Was Medal of Honor Recipient Charles Rogers?
Charles Rogers was a highly decorated military figure who served with distinction in the Vietnam War. In 1970, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon for his extraordinary bravery. Notably, he was the highest-ranking African American to ever receive this prestigious award. During a fierce enemy attack on a military base, then Lieutenant Colonel Rogers was wounded three times but continued to lead the defense, ultimately repelling the enemy forces [Source: Tribune]. After his passing in 1990, he was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, and his home state of West Virginia honored him by renaming a bridge in his name [Source: Times Now].
DEI Policy Rollback and Its Potential Impact
The removal of the webpage for Medal of Honor recipient Charles Rogers comes at a time when the current US administration has been actively working to reduce the presence of DEI initiatives across federal agencies. This effort has included executive orders aimed at terminating programs deemed to be based on “illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility’ (DEIA) programs.” An appeals court recently lifted a block on these executive orders, signaling a victory for the administration’s agenda [Source: The Guardian].
How to Verify
Step 1: Navigate to www.defense.gov
Step 2: Click on the 3 lines in the top right and search for “Charles Rogers”
Step 3: Click the first link you see about Charles Rogers. It should have a Publishing date Nov 1, 2021.
Step 4: Your page can not be found.
Concerns and Public Discussion
The disappearance of the webpage has understandably sparked public discussion and raised concerns, particularly given Charles Rogers’s significant contributions to the US military and his status as a prominent African American figure in military history. A screenshot of a Google preview of the page, which highlighted Rogers’ work for gender and race equality during his service, further fuels these concerns [Source: The Guardian]. The Defense Department has yet to issue an official statement explaining the removal, leaving many to question the motives behind this action.
The removal of the webpage dedicated to Medal of Honor recipient Charles Rogers raises important questions about the preservation of African American military history and the impact of shifting national priorities on how such legacies are honored and remembered.
