Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Medal of Honor Hero at Hill 208

Dec 18 , 2025

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Medal of Honor Hero at Hill 208

Blood, dust, fire—his men faltered. Darkness pressed in from all sides. Lieutenant Edward R. Schowalter Jr., driven by nothing but grit and faith, refused to let the line break. Wounded—but unyielding—he stood against a tide of enemy soldiers. This was not a moment of chance. It was a crucible. And Schowalter bore its flames without surrender.

Bloodline of Honor: Roots and Resolve

Born in Louisiana, Edward R. Schowalter Jr. grew into a man of sharp edges and solid faith. The boy who blossomed with a Bible at his bedside learned early that life’s battles weren’t always fought with weapons but with unswerving conviction. “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good,” the Apostle Paul wrote (Romans 12:21). This verse would anchor Young Eddie long before the guns spoke.

He entered service as a second lieutenant with the 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. A combat infantry officer forged in West Point’s unforgiving fires, Schowalter carried more than tactical skill into the mountains of Korea — he carried a code: protect your men at all costs. This, he believed, was the true weight of leadership.

The Battle That Defined Him: Hill 208, 6 June 1951

Korea’s hills swallowed whole battalions. On June 6, 1951, Hill 208 was no exception. Schowalter’s company found itself surrounded by numerically superior Chinese forces—reports peg enemy strength at double their own. The Chinese launched relentless assaults, trying to engulf American lines in a brutal, hell-forged vise.

Lt. Schowalter was hit early—a bullet tore through his shoulder. Blood seeping, pain blazing, he ignored medical orders. Around him, his soldiers faltered under pressure.

“We were pinned down, every man fighting for breath, for ground,” recalled a fellow soldier decades later.[^1] But Schowalter took the frontline again. Two more wounds—one near the eye, another in the arm—should have ended his fight. Instead, he pressed forward.

Calling for reinforcements was impossible; communication lines destroyed. The lieutenant grabbed a Browning Automatic Rifle, rallying his men with sharp commands and an indomitable presence. He repulsed wave after wave of attackers, refusing to give ground inch by bloody inch.

His was a mission not just to hold a hill but to save his shattered unit. Alone at times, he crawled through mud and gore to reposition soldiers, redistribute ammo, and silence enemy machine guns with lethal precision.

By nightfall, Hill 208 stayed in American hands. The company held. Schowalter’s blood and sweat forged that victory.

Recognition Etched in Valor

For his extraordinary heroism, Lt. Edward R. Schowalter Jr. received the Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest military decoration. The Medal’s citation [^2] memorializes his stubborn courage:

“Despite serious wounds, he led his company in defense of the hill against overwhelming enemy forces... His gallantry and intrepid leadership reflect the highest credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.”

Commanders called his stubborn stand the example of combat leadership under fire. Fellow soldiers remember a man who bled as they did but never broke.

General James Van Fleet later praised the 7th Infantry Division’s stubborn grit in Korea, and Schowalter’s actions stood out as a testament to that relentless spirit.[^3]

The Legacy of a Warrior’s Soul

Edward Schowalter’s story isn’t just history. It’s a mirror reflecting what sacrifice costs—and what faith can deliver. His scars went deeper than flesh; they carved into a legacy of courage, selflessness, and the raw bones of leadership.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” says John 15:13. Schowalter showed that love without flashy drama—quiet, fierce, and absolute.

His fight reminds veterans and civilians alike that battles rage everywhere—on hills, in hearts, and in choices made long after the guns fall silent. The courage to stand “even when you’re a shadow of yourself” marks true warriors.

His wounds did not weaken him. His spirit did not crack.

From a hill in Korea, a light still shines—one that calls us back to courage, to duty, to faith forged in the bloodiest of fires.

Sources

[^1]: University of Texas Press. The Korean War: An Oral History [^2]: U.S. Army Center of Military History. Medal of Honor Citations – Korean War [^3]: Department of Defense Historical Office. General James Van Fleet: The Forgotten Warrior