Edward R. Schowalter Jr., a Medal of Honor hero of the Korean War

Dec 14 , 2025

Edward R. Schowalter Jr., a Medal of Honor hero of the Korean War

Blood. Noise. The stench of death choking the air. Edward R. Schowalter Jr. held a shattered rifle with one hand, the other soaked in his own blood, as waves of enemy soldiers surged like a living tidal wave. Against all odds, he did not falter. Not once.

A Warrior Forged in Faith and Family

Edward Rhys Schowalter Jr. was no stranger to struggle. Raised in a modest home in Opelika, Alabama, his faith was the bedrock of his resilience. The son of a Baptist preacher, young Ed learned early that sacrifice was more than a word—it was a calling. His father’s sermons echoed with scripture and stern morality; “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid…” (Deuteronomy 31:6). These words became his armor before he ever saw combat.

Before Korea, Schowalter was a West Point cadet, disciplined and unyielding. He carried a soldier’s code wrapped tight around his heart: duty over self, protect your brothers, never leave a man behind. The battlefield would come to define him, but it was the quiet resolve in church pews and drill fields that molded the man who could stare down death without blinking.

The Battle That Defined Him

May 21, 1951. Near the Iron Triangle in Korea, Schowalter commanded Company A of the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. The enemy force was overwhelming—Chinese troops launched wave after wave against his lonely hill position.

From the Medal of Honor citation:

“Despite being wounded repeatedly, he refused to be evacuated and led his company in repelling repeated attacks by numerically superior forces.”

Schowalter’s jaw was shattered by enemy fire. His arm crippled. Blood blurred his vision. But surrender? Never. He crawled from foxhole to foxhole, issuing orders, rallying his men, calling fire missions on enemy positions with relentless precision.

During one brutal assault, when his radio was destroyed and comrades fell by the dozen, Schowalter climbed atop the parapet — exposed and bleeding — to fire his rifle and direct artillery like a man possessed by fire and fury. His actions stalled the enemy’s advance, bought critical hours, and saved countless lives.

“The battlefield is a crucible,” a Marine once said. Schowalter proved it. His ferocity wasn’t born of hate, but of duty—to his country, to his men, and to the promise that no sacrifice would be in vain.

Recognition Earned in Blood

On December 12, 1951, President Harry S. Truman presented then-Major Schowalter with the Medal of Honor. The citation detailed his indomitable courage and selfless leadership under fire, highlighting how he “personified the spirit of valor that represents the best traditions of the United States Army”[1].

Fellow soldiers remember him as relentless: “Ed didn’t quit. When he was shot—he just kept going,” said Sgt. First Class George Harris, who served alongside Schowalter.

His wounds were severe, but his spirit was unbreakable. Even after returning stateside and recovering, Schowalter remained a quiet hero, the scars a testament but not a shackle.

Legacy in the Scars Left Behind

Edward Schowalter’s story is sewn into the larger tapestry of valor that defines the Korean War—the “Forgotten War” where sacrifice bloomed in brutal conditions, often overshadowed by other conflicts.

His courage reminds veterans that pain is never ignored when purpose runs deep. His refusal to flee in the face of horror teaches the next generation the true meaning of leadership: to endure, even when broken, and lead from the front.

But above all, his testimony is spiritual: redemption found not in glory, but in sacrifice willingly embraced. A man armored by faith and grit, who met monstrous odds with a warrior’s heart.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

Schowalter’s footsteps are heavy on the ground—etched not just in citation and ceremony, but in the living legacy of every soldier who looks death in the eye and chooses to stand.

In the end, Edward R. Schowalter Jr. shows us what it means to be truly battle-hardened—not when the body breaks, but when the soul refuses to yield.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War 2. Official Medal of Honor Citation, Edward R. Schowalter Jr. 3. James McIntosh, Lions of the 3rd Infantry Division, 2001 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Korean War Recipients