Edward R. Schowalter Jr., a Korean War Medal of Honor Hero on Hill 913

Jan 02 , 2026

Edward R. Schowalter Jr., a Korean War Medal of Honor Hero on Hill 913

Bullets sang death into the night. Men fell around Lieutenant Edward R. Schowalter Jr. His platoon was shattered, dreams of retreat crumbled, but the war was far from over. Pain seared his body—broken bones, deep lacerations—but Schowalter’s voice was still strong, rallying his soldiers against a relentless, overwhelming force. This wasn’t just survival. This was sacrifice.

The Making of a Warrior

Born into quiet middle America, Edward R. Schowalter Jr. carried a solemn burden from early on: a soldier’s sense of duty threaded with unwavering faith. Growing up in Bremerton, Washington, Schowalter was no stranger to hard work, discipline, or church pews. He wasn’t a man chasing glory. He was a man answering a higher call—to serve, to protect, to lead—drawn deep from the well of scripture and the covenant of brotherhood.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” — Philippians 4:13

Faith steadied him, even as war tore the world apart. Soldiers who served under him spoke of a leader hardened by conviction, yet compassionate—someone living his values under a bursting sky of gunfire and blood.

The Battle That Defined Him

March 7, 1953. The Korean War was grinding toward its bitter end, but on that day, Edward Schowalter was thrown into hell.

Lieutenant Schowalter commanded Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. The mission: hold Hill 913 near Sokkogae, Korea—a position critical to pushing back ferocious Chinese forces. The enemy was numerically superior, entrenched and determined to annihilate every American foothold.

Under brutal artillery barrages and withering small arms fire, Schowalter’s company endured crushing losses. Even as he suffered a broken left arm and a bullet wound through his leg, he refused evacuation. Instead, he led counterattacks with a ferocity forged in years of training and steel resolve.

When his messenger was cut down, Schowalter found himself alone, surrounded, outnumbered by an enemy hellbent on slaughter. But the lieutenant organized his men into a tight defensive circle. Picking up every weapon available—even a discarded machine gun—he rained fury on the attacking waves. His voice cut through the cacophony, barking orders, encouraging a last stand that seemed impossible.

Hours stretched into a nightmare of blood and grit before Schowalter’s stubborn tenacity broke the enemy’s will. His unwavering command saved hundreds of soldiers and prevented a collapse that could have cost the U.S. the hill—and the lives tied to it. The cost to Schowalter was severe; helicopters picked him up, barely alive, battle-wounded and exhausted, yet unbroken in spirit.

Medal of Honor: A Testament to Valor

On May 5, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower awarded Lieutenant Edward R. Schowalter Jr. the Medal of Honor. The citation did not mince words:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, Lt. Schowalter’s actions under fire were essential to holding a vital position. Though seriously wounded, he refused medical aid and led his company to repel repeated, crushing enemy assaults. His leadership and courage saved many lives and inspired all who fought beside him.”

comrades remembered him as “a man who fought like a lion, but cared like a father.” Captain James Harris described Schowalter as “a leader who carried the weight of every man on that hill—and never let them feel it.”

The Medal was not just personal decoration—it was a banner of hope for every soldier fighting dark, lonely battles.

The Legacy of Edward R. Schowalter Jr.

His wounds healed, but the scars of war remained—etched deep in bone and soul. Schowalter’s story is not just one of valor but of relentless sacrifice, of the raw cost paid by those who refuse to surrender.

There is no glory without grit. There is no peace without war’s shadow.

His courage did more than hold a line in Korea. It welded a legacy of leadership under fire:

Faith forged in combat—a reminder that courage is never absence of fear, but the choice to stand when everything screams to fall back.

Brotherhood beyond blood—that soldiers live—and die—together, bound by a trust that transcends rank and race.

Purpose in sacrifice—his story honors all who walk into hell’s mouth and ask only to come home upright, not unscathed.

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles...” — Isaiah 40:31

In every pop of gunfire and every haunting pause of dawn, Edward R. Schowalter Jr. whispers that redemption rides with the relentless. His scars are silent sermons—carved into the earth—and a warning that freedom demands those who bleed for it.