Captain Edward R. Schowalter Jr.'s Stand on Hill 770 in Korea

Dec 31 , 2025

Captain Edward R. Schowalter Jr.'s Stand on Hill 770 in Korea

Blood. Fire. Frozen hell in early February 1951. The ground shook beneath Hill 770's barren slopes outside Wonju, Korea. Under relentless enemy fire, a single company fought to hold the line—fractured, outnumbered, desperate. And there, standing tall amid chaos and wounds, was Captain Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Not just a man, but a force of will refusing to bow.

Roots of Resolve

Edward Schowalter Jr. was no stranger to discipline or sacrifice. Born in 1927 in Oklahoma, he grew up steeped in a rugged sense of duty. His military career began before Korea; a West Point graduate, he first served in World War II's final chapters. The battlefield was etched into his bones early.

Faith was more than comfort for Schowalter—it was a compass. His actions reflected a code beyond orders or medals. “The Lord is my rock,” he might have whispered in the heat of a firefight, drawing strength from Psalm 18:2. This wasn’t blind piety but unshakable conviction. It forged a warrior who understood sacrifice as sacred.

Hell on Hill 770

February 6, 1951.

The Chinese People’s Volunteer Army launched a savage assault against Schowalter’s company, tasked with holding Hill 770 near Hoengsong. His men faced wave after wave of attackers. The night was icy, the firing deafening. Communication cut. Casualties mounting. Morale slipping.

Schowalter, despite a shattered leg early in the fight, refused evacuation. He crawled back into battle. Clutching his rifle with a mangled foot, he moved between foxholes stitching together positions. Enemy grenades exploded nearby. Bullets tore through earth and flesh.

At one point, Schowalter personally charged a machine gun nest, killing the crew, clearing the path for his men. He led a counterattack that pushed enemy forces back. His presence galvanized soldiers frozen by fear. He refused to yield Hill 770, knowing if lost, thousands of lives would be exposed to annihilation.

His Medal of Honor citation recounts: “Although painfully wounded, he continued to direct the defense and made numerous moves outside the lines of his own men, placing all troops in positions to repel the enemy.” His refusal to quit kept the line intact under impossible odds[1].

Medal of Honor: A Testament Written in Blood

Schowalter’s Medal of Honor arrived months later—one of Korea’s hardest-fought battles immortalized by a citation that embodies grit and sacrifice:

“Captain Schowalter’s unyielding courage under fire and leadership directly contributed to holding a vital position against overwhelming enemy forces. His selfless devotion inspired survivors to carry the fight forward.”

General Mark W. Clark called him an epitome of battlefield leadership. Fellow soldiers remembered a man who made the impossible human, a brother in war who refused to abandon them despite grave personal cost.

His story stands among those few whose valor turned the tide during Korea’s darkest hours. Not for glory, but to protect lives trapped in frozen hell.

Enduring Legacy: Courage Forged in Fire

Edward Schowalter Jr.’s tale carries lessons beyond medals and headlines. True leadership isn’t about power but sacrifice. It’s about standing when every fiber screams to fall. It’s faith—not only in God but in the men by your side—that shapes heroes.

He left scars—physical and unseen—that branded a life spent answering the call. But his example speaks to veterans and civilians alike: War is hell, but sometimes hell shapes angels.

The Psalm echoes still:

“He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.” — Psalm 18:34

Schowalter bent the bow of bronze.

He fought not for glory, but for something greater—redemption, hope, the lives of others. That redemptive spark will outlive every battle scar.

Sources

1. Department of Defense, “Medal of Honor Citation: Edward R. Schowalter Jr.,” Korean War Medal of Honor Recipients 2. Army Historical Foundation, Leadership Under Fire: The Battle of Hill 770 3. General Mark W. Clark, Memoirs of the Korean War Command