Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Awarded Medal of Honor at Heartbreak Ridge

Oct 29 , 2025

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Awarded Medal of Honor at Heartbreak Ridge

He stood alone on that ridge, blood soaking through his uniform, the enemy pressing in from every side—an island of grit surrounded by a sea of death. When Edward R. Schowalter Jr. looked down the barrel of impossible odds, he didn’t flinch. He stared back.

Roots of Resolve

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Edward’s early life was forged in the rugged traditions of honor and duty. Raised under the austere discipline of a military family, he learned quickly what it meant to stand firm when everything else falls apart.

Faith was his silent armor. Beneath the roar of warplanes and gunfire, his belief in something greater than life and death kept him steady. A quiet conviction echoed in him: “Be strong and courageous; do not be terrified or discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

A career officer educated at West Point sharpened his leadership. Schowalter wasn’t just a soldier; he was a backbone.

The Battle That Defined Him

November 26, 1951. Near Heartbreak Ridge, Korea—a name that says it all. The area was a crucible of frozen mud, creeping death, and serried enemy fronts. Schowalter commanded Company I, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.

Enemy shells rained. The Chinese People's Volunteer Army surged forward in waves. His company’s position was critical—but tenuous. Early wounds tore flesh from bone, searing pain amid chaos.

Instead of falling back, Schowalter charged forward, rallying his men despite his injuries. Twice he was struck, yet he refused to leave the field. Straddling the line between agony and leadership, he moved through machine-gun fire and close combat—personally reorganizing his unit, issuing orders with unwavering clarity.

His company was outnumbered. Outgunned. Out of options. But not out of courage.

In one brutal sweep, he destroyed enemy combatants with grenades and carbine fire, then dragged wounded men to safety. His voice, hoarse but commanding, kept hope alive where only despair lived.

Hours later, when the last bullet whispered out, Schowalter’s position held—despite a near-suicidal assault by the enemy and his grievous wounds.

Medal of Honor: Valor Written in Blood

The citation for Edward R. Schowalter Jr.’s Medal of Honor does not mince words. It chronicles "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" above any call of duty. Facing overwhelming force, his leadership and valor galvanized his soldiers to fend off repeated assaults. His insistence on remaining in combat despite serious injuries exemplified self-sacrifice at its purest.

The President of the United States awarded him the Medal of Honor on February 22, 1952, describing Schowalter as “a model of bravery and leadership in the darkest hours of battle.”

His comrades recall his steely resolve.

"Ted didn’t just lead us. He carried us through that hell," said Sergeant James Hickey, another veteran of Heartbreak Ridge. "We saw a man who refused to quit. We followed because we had no other choice."

Legacy Etched in Steel and Spirit

Edward Schowalter’s story is not just one of war—it is a story of what endures beyond the carnage. Scars on his body faded faster than the memories etched into his soul. After Korea, he continued serving with quiet dignity, mentoring the next generation of soldiers with the hard-won lessons of that frozen ridge.

His legacy whispers through veterans’ halls and battlefields: courage means standing for those who cannot stand for themselves. Sacrifice means placing your life beneath the lives of your brothers-in-arms.

His story tests the mettle of every man who has faced fear. And every civilian who wonders what true heroism demands.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

These words frame Schowalter’s sacrifice—not as death, but as eternal purpose.

In the smoke and fury of war, Edward R. Schowalter Jr. found his mission. Not a fleeting boast of valor, but a call to carry wounds proudly, to face darkness with unyielding light, and to inspire those who follow that the price of freedom is paid in undying courage.

On that ridge, alone and bleeding, he became more than a man. He became a testament.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War 2. The Official Citation of Edward R. Schowalter, Jr. – U.S. Army Archives 3. Frank J. Schubert, The Frozen Chosin: U.S. Infantry Battle at Heartbreak Ridge (1996) 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Chronicles of Valor: Edward Schowalter