The U.S. Department of Defense website, which previously honored Army General Charles Calvin Rogers—a Vietnam War hero and Medal of Honor recipient—has been taken down. Instead, the page now redirects to a “404” error message. Additionally, the URL was altered to include the term “DEImedal.” Rogers, who was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon in 1970 for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War, was recognized as the highest-ranking African American to receive the prestigious award. He died in 1990 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, with a bridge in his birthplace of Fayette County, West Virginia, later renamed in his honor.
The change to the webpage was noted on Saturday, and a screenshot posted by writer Brandon Friedman revealed that the URL had previously displayed a Google preview of the page titled “Medal of Honor Monday: Army Maj Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers.” This preview also highlighted Rogers’ work for racial and gender equality during his military service. After the page’s removal, the new URL added the acronym “DEI,” which stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The Department of Defense has not yet commented on the change, but it coincides with broader efforts by the Trump administration to reduce DEI programs within the federal government. An executive order issued under the Trump administration sought to eliminate various DEI-related initiatives. Additionally, an appeals court recently ruled in favor of lifting a block on executive orders aimed at curbing federal support for DEI programs.
