US Defense Department Removes Vietnam Vet's Tribute Amid DEI Controversy

The US Department of Defense recently took down a webpage celebrating Army Major General Charles Calvin Rogers, a Vietnam War hero awarded the Medal of Honor, resulting in a 404 error. Interestingly, the site’s URL had been altered, with “medal” replaced by “deimedal.”

Rogers received the Medal of Honor from President Richard Nixon in 1970 for his bravery in the Vietnam War, even sustaining injuries three times while defending a base. His achievements include being the highest-ranking African American recipient of this honor, as noted by the West Virginia Military Hall of Fame. After his passing in 1990, Rogers was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, and a bridge in his hometown was later named in his honor.

As of Sunday, the webpage for Rogers resulted in a “404 – Page Not Found” error. A notice indicated that the page might have been relocated, renamed, or temporarily inaccessible. This was evidenced visually when writer Brandon Friedman shared a screenshot on Bluesky, showing a Google preview for Rogers’ profile on the department’s site. The Google entry, dated November 1, 2021, included the highlight: “Army Maj Gen Charles Calvin Rogers served through all of it. As a Black man, he worked for gender and race equality while in the service.”

Friedman pointed out the URL modification to include “DEI medal” after noting the page’s removal. The Guardian has reached out to the Department of Defense for their response.

This development comes amid efforts by Donald Trump’s administration, active since January, to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives throughout the federal government. An executive order from Trump aims to eliminate all “illegal DEI and ‘diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility’ (DEIA) programs,” viewed as problematic by his administration.

Further advancing their cause, an appeals court recently lifted a block against executive orders intended to curtail federal support for DEI programs, marking a victory for Trump’s ongoing campaign.