Edward R. Schowalter Jr., Korean War Hero and Medal of Honor Recipient

Nov 21 , 2025

Edward R. Schowalter Jr., Korean War Hero and Medal of Honor Recipient

Blood and grit wrapped the hills of Outpost Harry. The night air was heavy with the stink of sweat, gunpowder, and death. Lieutenant Edward R. Schowalter Jr., barely 24, stood surrounded by the broken remnants of his platoon. Twice wounded, the enemy closing in like wolves, he didn’t flinch. The line had to hold.

He would make them hold.

Background & Faith

Edward Robert Schowalter Jr. was born in 1927, San Antonio, Texas. A boy forged by the heart of the Southwest—hard work, determination, and unyielding pride in duty.

Before the war, he enrolled at the University of Texas. The draft came knocking, as it did for so many of his generation. Schowalter answered with quiet resolve. Not for glory. Not for medals. But because someone had to stand between freedom and oblivion.

Faith ran beneath the surface like a steady river. A belief in a higher purpose shaped his courage. He once said, “I relied on God to guide me through hell.” Not platitude. Truth earned in the furnace of combat.

The Battle That Defined Him

Outpost Harry. Late June 1953. Korean War’s vicious crucible near the 38th Parallel. The Chinese People's Volunteer Army launched cutthroat assaults to dislodge UN forces from strategic hilltop outposts. Harry was key.

Schowalter led Company G, 223rd Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division. The night of June 10, artillery and mortars rained destruction. Enemy numbers swelled relentlessly.

Despite torn flesh and bleeding wounds, Schowalter refused evacuation. Twice wounded by grenade fragments and shrapnel, he forced himself upright.

He grabbed recovered weapons, redistributed ammo, and moved through trenches yelling orders. His voice a lifeline in chaos.

Enemy troops broke through multiple times. Each time, Schowalter led counterattacks, throwing grenades, firing his rifle, rallying survivors. His mere presence was a shield and sword.

At one point, when surrounded and nearly out of ammo, he engaged in hand-to-hand combat, shouting scripture to steel his comrades' will:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” — Joshua 1:9

More than once, soldiers credited his relentless spirit for pulling them back from the brink.

Recognition

For this extraordinary valor, Schowalter earned the Medal of Honor — the United States’ highest military decoration.

His citation speaks plainly but powerfully:

“Lieutenant Schowalter’s fearless leadership and indomitable courage against overwhelming odds reflected the highest traditions of the infantry and the U.S. Army.”

General William Westmoreland, who later became commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam, lauded Schowalter:

“Ed Schowalter showed what real leadership looks like in the hell of combat. His actions saved that hill and stopped the enemy’s tide.”

Schowalter’s wounds earned Purple Hearts, but it was his steadfastness under fire that distinguished him forever.

Legacy & Lessons

Edward Schowalter's story isn't just a Korean War footnote. It’s an eternal testament to the raw tenacity of men who bear the weight of war and refuse to break.

In darkness, he became a lighthouse.

He taught us that courage isn’t the absence of fear — it’s the refusal to let fear command your actions.

His scars, physical and unseen, are the price of freedom’s fragile torch passing undimmed.

We owe him more than words. We owe him remembrance.

Redemption in Sight

War strips men bare—their fears, their faith, their humanity. Yet in Schowalter’s battle for Outpost Harry, there shines something rare and sacred: a man who leaned on something greater than himself and lifted others above the nightmare.

_“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”_ — John 15:13

This warrior’s legacy burns like a beacon for every soldier stepping into the crucible. For every veteran wrestling with ghosts and grace. For every citizen whose peace is paid by blood and sacrifice.

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. did not seek redemption in medals or glory. He found it in the trenches of sacrifice — and in the hearts he saved.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War” 2. Westmoreland, William C., A Soldier Reports, 1976 3. Department of Defense Archives, “Battle of Outpost Harry After-Action Reports” 4. Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas Online