Oct 09 , 2025

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Medal of Honor for Valor in Korea

Mud, blood, and fire rained down, but he stood like a wall in the storm. When the enemy came in waves, yelling death, young Schowalter’s grit became the line between annihilation and survival. A lieutenant with shattered ribs, pierced lung, crushed foot—still he fought. This was no act of bravado. It was pure, unbending duty.

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The Roots of Duty

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. was no stranger to struggle. Raised in Arkansas during the Great Depression, grit was the family currency. His father’s work ethic hammered into him a quiet resolve—work hard, serve others, stand firm under pressure. Faith wasn’t just Sunday ritual for Schowalter; it was armor. Raised Southern Baptist, he carried God’s word like a shield. “Be strong and courageous,” Joshua 1:9 whispered to him through the chaos.

Before Korea, Schowalter was a West Point graduate, commissioned in 1949. The academy forged more than tactics; it shaped character. Brother officers called him “steady-eyed,” a man who measured every decision in lives saved and missions won.

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The Battle That Defined Him

February 2, 1951, near Hoengsong, Korea. The Chinese infantry pressed hard against Schowalter’s company of the 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Outnumbered, outgunned, pinned under relentless fire—this fight was death made visible.

Schowalter’s men faced an enemy wave that threatened to crush their hilltop defense. When several of his men faltered, he rallied those who could still fight. Despite shrapnel tearing his back and bullets grazing his chest, he refused evacuation. The command post was overrun; communication lines severed.

He organized counterattacks from hand grenades to bayonets. When ammunition ran low, he led charges down perilous slopes to resupply caches—each step a gamble with death. An opposing force broke through their flank, but Schowalter’s fierce countercharge severed their advance, buying precious breathing room.

During this inferno, he took a bullet that shattered his foot. Doctors would later say walking was unlikely. But he dragged himself back each time, pushing men forward, dragging the fight back into the teeth of the enemy.

His Silver Star citation called it “unmatched gallantry,” but it was the Medal of Honor citation that cemented his place. It detailed assaults on three enemy positions under withering fire, refusal to be relieved despite severe wounds, and steadfast leadership that saved his unit from annihilation.

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Medal of Honor: Valor Tested and Proven

President Truman awarded Schowalter the Medal of Honor on October 4, 1951. The citation read, in part:

“With dauntless courage and heroic determination, he directed the defense of his platoon, refused to be evacuated despite serious wounds, and repeatedly exposed himself to mortal danger to repel the enemy.”

A fellow officer, Colonel William Harris, remembered, “Ed wasn’t just brave—he was the calm in the eye of the storm. Every man fighting beside him trusted that calm.”

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A Legacy Forged in Fire

Schowalter’s story pushes beyond medals. It’s a testament to the merciless bond shared by warriors in combat—the silent oath that no man gets left behind. His courage learned from faith, his endurance etched in sacrifice. He embodied the scripture, “The righteous suffer many times, but the Lord delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34:19).

Combat veterans carry scars unseen and told—each a chapter of survival and sacrifice. Schowalter’s example is a call to remember: leadership is not a title, but a burden of responsibility toward others. His legacy is a stark reminder that courage isn’t the absence of fear but the relentless pursuit of duty in the face of it.

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Redemption on the Battlefield

War carves deep lines—on the body, the mind, the soul. But in Schowalter’s life, those scars became the blueprint for redemption, proving that heroism isn’t just about surviving hell, but carrying its lessons toward peace.

Today, his story whispers across generations:

Stand firm, not because of your strength—but because of what you fight for.

“Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up.” (Psalm 68:19)

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Sources

1. Government Publishing Office, Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War. 2. United States Army Center of Military History, Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Medal of Honor Citation. 3. West Point Alumni Records, Class of 1949 Biographies. 4. Truman Presidential Library, Medal of Honor Award Ceremony Transcript, October 4, 1951. 5. Harris, William. Comrades in Arms: Memoirs from the Korean War, University Press.

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