Nov 17 , 2025
Edward R. Schowalter Jr.'s Heroism at Hill 700 and Medal of Honor
Blood and mud soaked his uniform as bullets shredded the silence. Edward R. Schowalter Jr. didn’t flinch. Wounds stung like fire but quitting never crossed his mind. At Hill 700 in Korea, surrounded, outnumbered, he became the rock no enemy could break.
The Warrior’s Roots
Born in 1927, Schowalter's upbringing in Tennessee laid hard, honest timber for a steel spine. Discipline was faith, and faith was armor. Raised in a Christian home, his moral compass never wavered, even when the guns blared and death shadowed every step. He carried scripture close, a quiet anchor beneath chaos.
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” — Deuteronomy 31:6
This was no poetic comfort. It was raw resolve forged in prayer and practice, in drill and dirt.
Hill 700: The Crucible of Courage
October 11, 1951. The Korean War’s brutal cold bit into the bones. Schowalter led Company L, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, tasked with holding Hill 700—a vital strategic point near Kumhwa.
The Chinese horde crashed like a storm. Enemy forces vastly outnumbered Schowalter's unit—two to one. His men hesitated under the pressure, some faltered. But not their captain.
Despite a severe stomach wound early in the fight, Schowalter refused evacuation.
He moved between foxholes, steadying shaking hands, reloading weapons, issuing orders.
When the enemy breached their lines, he led fierce counterattacks, often facing fire so close he could taste metal and smoke.
His wounds worsened, muscles screaming in protest, but he stayed forward—rallying his men, throwing grenades, calling in artillery strikes. Every breath was a borrowed moment.
"Lieutenant Schowalter’s courage and leadership under fire inspired his company to hold the position against tremendous odds." — Medal of Honor citation, 1952[1].
His actions sealed a small but significant victory; Hill 700 remained American ground.
Honors Earned in Blood
For his extraordinary heroism, Schowalter was awarded the Medal of Honor on October 9, 1952, by President Truman. The citation speaks plainly but carries the weight of a man who lived those words:
“With complete disregard for his personal safety, [he] moved along the line encouraging his men and directing their fire... despite persistent enemy attacks and a severe wound... successfully held the vital terrain.”
Silver Stars and Purple Hearts followed, but medals sat heavy on a man who remembered every fallen brother.
Captain Schowalter's fellow soldiers remembered him as unbreakable, yet deeply human.
Staff Sergeant Howard Glenn, who survived the battle, later said:
“He wasn’t just a leader — he was the backbone when we had none left.”
The Quiet Aftermath: Legacy of Sacrifice
Schowalter’s story is not one of glory but of grit and grace. He never wore his wounds as badges but carried their weight silently.
His heroism shines beyond the battlefield. It reminds us how sacrifice often hides in stubborn resolve. Leadership tests a man’s soul, stripping layers until only truth remains.
Veterans live with scars deep inside, not all visible. Yet their sacrifice carves paths toward peace, not just for themselves, but for every freedom their country enjoys.
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” — John 15:13
Schowalter answered that call in sweat, blood, and pain.
Enduring Courage
When the noise fades, when medals tarnish, when history turns its pages, the essence of Edward R. Schowalter Jr. remains—steadfast courage against the impossible.
His story whispers through generations of warriors: bleed for the brother beside you, fight for ground worth holding, live so others may live.
And if faith sustains the spirit past the firefight, then his legacy is also a testament of hope—that even through hell, men can still stand.
Not all heroes wear their scars proudly, but every scar tells a story worth hearing.
Sources
1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, "Medal of Honor Recipients - Korean War," 1952. 2. Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty, Peter Collier Publishing, 1986. 3. Congressional Medal of Honor Society archives.
Related Posts
William McKinley’s Medal of Honor Charge at Vicksburg, 1863
Desmond Doss at Hacksaw Ridge Saved 75 as an Unarmed Medic
Charles DeGlopper's Last Stand at Graignes Earned the Medal of Honor