Edward R. Schowalter Jr., Medal of Honor hero at Hoengsong

Nov 30 , 2025

Edward R. Schowalter Jr., Medal of Honor hero at Hoengsong

Edward R. Schowalter Jr.’s fight wasn’t just against an enemy force. It was against death itself. Bloodied and broken, he kept pushing forward. Every step was agony, every order risked extinction. But surrender wasn’t an option. Not when lives depended on him.

A Son of Texas, Hardened by Faith and Duty

Born in Hamilton, Texas, Schowalter was raised on grit and principle. The kind of upbringing that carved men who understood sacrifice and service. His faith? Quiet, ironclad. A foundation that grounded him when chaos loomed.

In letters home, he often quoted Scripture, a rare light in the endless night of war. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,” he wrote—words he lived when the bullets roared. His code was simple: Lead with honor, fight with every fiber, and protect those who follow.

The Battle That Defined a Legend

February 1951, Korea. Schowalter commanded Company E, 17th Infantry, 7th Infantry Division near Hoengsong. The Chinese People’s Volunteer Army encircled his unit. Enemy forces surged like waves—relentless, merciless.

The hill they held was critical terrain. Hold it, or the whole line fell apart.

Despite being shot through the thigh and severely wounded in the shoulder, Schowalter refused evacuation. His men faltered under pressure. With bones shattered from mortar bursts, he dragged himself through snow and fire to rally them. Every breath was fire, every move agony.

With blood flowing freely, he mounted a final counterattack, leading his men uphill to retake lost ground. His stubborn courage turned the tide — company intact, enemy driven back. In the savage cold, sweat and blood mingled. Wounded, outnumbered, but unbroken.

Recognition: Medal of Honor for Relentless Valor

President Harry Truman awarded Schowalter the Medal of Honor on August 12, 1951. The citation reads:

“After his company was surrounded and cut off at Hoengsong, Schowalter, severely wounded, repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire to lead attacks.”

Lieutenant Colonel Ralph P. Foster, his regimental commander, said:

“Schowalter’s leadership saved many lives. His courage under hellish conditions inspired every man in his unit.”

His medal wasn’t just metal. It was a symbol of grit that refused to quit, a testament to warriors who wear their scars invisible and raw.

Lessons Etched in Blood and Ice

Edward Schowalter’s battle scars tell stories no medal can fully capture. His legacy is brutal honesty about war—no glory without suffering, no leadership without pain.

Faith wasn’t just words. It was armor. When the night closes in, and every man faces his breaking point, Schowalter showed faith means moving forward when your body screams to stop.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1)

He embodied this truth on a frozen mountain, where courage wasn’t courage unless it faced death head-on.

To veterans and civilians alike: Schowalter’s fight reminds us that heroism is a daily grind, a painful choice to stand when every instinct begs fall.

The battlefield is brutal, but so is redemption. In the raw and the ruined, purpose endures. Soldiers like Schowalter teach us that legacy isn’t built from safety, but from scars carried with unwavering resolve.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients, Korean War 2. Truman Library, Medal of Honor Ceremony for Edward R. Schowalter Jr. (1951) 3. “Heroes of Hoengsong,” 7th Infantry Division Archives 4. The Dallas Morning News, “Texas Hero Earns Medal of Honor,” 1951