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

Jan 30 , 2026

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

Blood and grit. A platoon pinned beneath withering fire. Alone, bleeding, and shattered—he stands defiant. One man against the storm, holding ground that must not fall.

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. was forged in the crucible of war where the margins between life and death vanish. His story is etched in the mud and smoke of Korea, a testament to the raw, relentless spirit of a battlefield leader who refused to quit.

Roots of Resolve

Born 1927 in Alma, Arkansas, Edward Schowalter Jr. came of age steeped in a Bible belt toughness tempered by faith. Raised with the belief that character under fire defines a man, he carried more than a rifle to war—he carried a code.

The Korean War drew him in as a young captain in the 31st Infantry Regiment, the rugged "Dixie" unit known for fighting tooth and nail in shattered Korean hillsides. His faith—a quiet backbone—shaped his steadfastness amid chaos. Like the Psalmist said,

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” (Psalm 23:4)

His sense of duty, honor, and loyalty anchored a leader who never left a man behind.

The Battle That Defined Him

June 7, 1951. A night etched in fire near Sobuk-san, Korea.

Schowalter’s company found themselves under savage assault by enemy forces vastly superior in number. Machine-gun fire cut the dark; artillery pocked the earth. Communications killed, casualties mounting, the line begging to break.

Then the order came down—or maybe no one gave it. He took command.

With a fractured jaw, the taste of blood thick in his mouth, Schowalter rallied his men. He pushed forward, directing fires and repositioning squads amid the carnage. Wounded repeatedly, he refused medevac.

One hill was theirs to hold. Others fell, yes, but that hill was his ground. Every inch bought with sweat and sacrifice.

At the breaking point, when survival demanded retreat, he held the line alone after nearly all others were slain or evacuated. Bastion against the night.

“Captain Schowalter’s coolness and indomitable courage reflected the highest credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army,” his Medal of Honor citation later read.

Recognition in Blood and Ink

For these actions, Captain Edward R. Schowalter Jr. received the Medal of Honor. His citation details a relentless fight:

“Though painfully wounded, he resolutely remained at his position and continued to direct and encourage his men until the enemy was finally repelled.”

His commanding officer called him a “rock in the tempest,” a man whose very presence steadied frightened souls.

Into the hall of heroes he stepped, not for glory, but out of duty. His awards tell a story beyond medal and ribbon—they tell of a man bearing the scars of war with unyielding grace.

Lessons Etched in Steel and Spirit

Schowalter’s fight is more than history; it’s a raw lesson in courage—the kind that doesn’t flash bright but burns slow and steady.

Leadership in combat is messy. It’s pain and fear locked inside a clenched jaw. It’s being the last line and the first to advance, hurting but unyielding.

His legacy? The reminder that even when broken, a soldier can hold hope enough for a platoon. That faith, grit, and sacrifice don’t just survive—they inspire.

For warriors and civilians alike, his story speaks the same truth:

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

EDWARD SCHOWALTER JR. stands as a sentinel—not just of a place on a Korean hill, but of a timeless, relentless call to stand when all else falls. His scars are not wounds; they are badges of a relentless spirit unbroken.

In the fury of combat and the silence of reflection, his story endures—for honor, sacrifice, and the redemptive power of faith born in the crucible of battle.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War 2. United States Army, 31st Infantry Regiment Unit History 3. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Citation for Edward R. Schowalter Jr. 4. Rick Atkinson, The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 (contextual operational history)