Nov 01 , 2025

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Medal of Honor hero in the Korean War

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. stood alone amid a cratered rice paddy. His company shattered, half cut down. Bullets whipped past his ears like angry hornets. Wounded deep in the leg, blood soaked through his trousers, but he moved forward—because retreat was death. Against impossible odds, he held the line. Held his brothers in arms.

This is the raw steel of heroism.

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Background & Faith: The Making of a Warrior

Edward was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, 1927. A boy raised on hard soil and firmer faith. The grit of the South and a Baptist upbringing taught him discipline, honor, and a deep reliance on God. He carried those lessons like armor into war.

Schowalter graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1949. He joined the Army in a world still reeling from global conflict, breathing fire into the cold winds of the Cold War.

His faith was quiet but unyielding. He lived by Galatians 6:9—“Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” It was a creed carved into his soul long before the bullets flew.

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The Battle That Defined Him: Heart of the Korean War

February 1, 1951. Near Hoengseong, Korea. Schowalter commanded Company A, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division.

The enemy force surged—Chinese soldiers in numbers that seemed endless. They hit his company with ferocity that might break steel. Casualties mounted. Command faltered under blood and chaos.

Schowalter was shot in the leg early, but he refused evacuation. With the smell of gunpowder and death thick in the air, he gathered his men and pressed the attack, moving under fire to reorganize broken squads and repel wave after wave of enemy attackers.

At one point, his own position was nearly overrun. He fought hand-to-hand. His orders were clear and sharp as a knife in the dark: hold ground, no matter the cost.

Despite severe wounds, he stood on the bleeding front, rallying his troops with fierce words and relentless courage. The men daunted by fear and injury found strength in his resolute presence.

His leadership turned the tide—his company repelled the enemy assault, inflicting heavy casualties and securing the position. The mission succeeded because one man refused to die there.

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Recognition: Medals for a Warrior’s Heart

Schowalter's courage earned him the Medal of Honor. His citation reads like a testament—“distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty...”

“[He] led his men in a desperate fight against overwhelming odds, continuing to lead despite being severely wounded... His heroic actions saved his company from annihilation.” — U.S. Army Medal of Honor Citation[1]

His contemporaries spoke with reverence. Lieutenant Colonel Hal C. Stewart said, “Schowalter’s grit turned a hopeless fight into a victory. He wasn’t just a leader; he was a brother who refused to let his men down.” That bond, forged in fire, left scars no medal could undo.

Schowalter also received the Silver Star and Purple Heart, but it was the Medal of Honor’s sacred weight that defined his legacy. The U.S. Army chose his story to remind a nation what true sacrifice looks like.

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Legacy & Lessons: Courage Baptized in Blood

Edward R. Schowalter Jr.’s story is not just about a single day or battle. It’s a call to stand firm when the world blurs into chaos. To lead with heart when pain demands surrender.

He demonstrated that heroism is not absence of fear but mastery over it. A man broken and bleeding can still lift a fallen standard.

His life reminds us of James 1:12—“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life.”

In the crucible of war, Schowalter found purpose—not glory, but duty. A debt owed to his comrades and the future they fought to protect.

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He fought in the mud and blood so others might live in peace. That is the cost, the sacrifice—and the legacy—of a true warrior.

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Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War

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