The US Division of Protection has eliminated the webpage honouring Military Main Common Charles Calvin Rogers, a Medal of Honor recipient who served within the Vietnam Warfare.
The web page now redirects to a “404” error, and the URL has been altered, with the phrase “medal” changed by “deimedal.”
Rogers, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1970 by President Richard Nixon for his bravery through the Vietnam Warfare, was the highest-ranking African American to obtain the distinguished award.
He was wounded thrice whereas main the defence of a navy base. After his dying in 1990, Rogers was buried at Arlington Nationwide Cemetery, and a bridge in his house state of West Virginia was renamed in his honour.
The elimination of the webpage coincides with a change within the web site’s handle, the place the phrase “medal” was changed with “deimedal,” with the addition of the letters “DEI” within the URL.
The letters “DEI” stand for Range, Fairness, and Inclusion, a coverage that has been more and more rolled again below the present US administration. A “404 – Web page Not Discovered” message now seems when guests try and entry the web page for Charles Rogers.
A screenshot posted by author Brandon Friedman on Bluesky revealed {that a} Google preview of the profile displayed the phrases “Military Maj Gen Charles Calvin Rogers served by means of all of it. As a Black man, he labored for gender and race equality whereas within the service.”
This web page had been obtainable till the modifications have been made.
The Defence Division has not supplied a public assertion concerning the elimination of the webpage.
The choice comes amid broader efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to scale back the presence of DEI (Range, Fairness, and Inclusion) programmes throughout the federal authorities.
Trump has made a concerted effort to roll again these initiatives, which have been a degree of competition within the broader political panorama.
This transfer follows Trump’s government orders focusing on DEI insurance policies, together with these associated to variety and inclusion inside authorities establishments.
In a latest victory for the administration, an appeals courtroom lifted a block on Trump’s efforts to finish federal assist for DEI programmes.
Rogers, a distinguished determine within the historical past of African American navy service, was honoured by numerous communities throughout his lifetime and posthumously. His service within the Vietnam Warfare, the place he saved numerous lives below intense enemy fireplace, stays a vital a part of US navy historical past.
The elimination of his web page provides to considerations over the therapy of the legacy of African American service members amid shifting nationwide priorities.
The elimination of the webpage is now sparking public dialogue, particularly contemplating the historic significance of Rogers’ contributions to the navy and the continued debate round DEI insurance policies.