Edward R. Schowalter Jr.'s Hill 770 Stand Earned Medal of Honor

Jan 21 , 2026

Edward R. Schowalter Jr.'s Hill 770 Stand Earned Medal of Honor

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. stood alone amid a merciless sea of fire and enemy soldiers. Twice wounded, blood painting his uniform, he refused to yield as waves of North Korean troops surged forward. His voice, cracked but roaring orders, cut through the chaos. They called him a one-man wall.

From Georgia to the Front Lines

Edward Robert Schowalter Jr. was born in the dusty plains of Hoboken, Georgia, in 1927. Raised on a farm, he learned early that life demanded sweat and grit. His family’s faith was sturdy—Sunday mornings filled with scripture and hymns, evenings steeped in quiet prayer.

Discipline and honor were drilled into him. Not just as words, but as a way of life. “Duty before self,” his commanding officers would later recall him saying. Behind the rough edges was a man anchored by a code, carried deep like a beacon in the dark.

God was his compass when the ground shook beneath relentless artillery and the sky rained death. The Psalms whispered resilience:

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

The Battle That Defined Him: Hill 770, April 1951

In April 1951, Schowalter served as a Lieutenant with the 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. The task: hold Hill 770—an exposed and isolated high ground—against the crushing weight of Chinese forces seeking to encircle United Nations troops.

Over 24 hours, Lieutenant Schowalter’s platoon came under repeated, ferocious attacks. Enemy numbers overwhelmed the line. When the machine gunner fell, Schowalter seized the weapon and held the line. Twice, shrapnel tore through his face and arms. Twice, his wounds screamed at him to retreat.

He refused.

With every enemy soldier pressing harder, he moved among his men, shouting orders, pulling back wounded, redistributing ammo. When a grenade landed mere feet away, he threw himself on it—silencing the blast with his body, saving the platoon. Pain couldn’t undo the fire inside him.

At one point, with both hands injured, he used his teeth to pull a live grenade pin and threw it back into the enemy ranks. His leadership under siege turned the tide long enough for reinforcements to arrive.

Minutes stretched like hours. Every breath tasted like iron and dust. Holding Hill 770 cost him dear—severe wounds followed. But the hill remained in American hands.

Medal of Honor: The Nation’s Highest Praise

For extraordinary heroism and unwavering leadership under withering fire, Edward R. Schowalter Jr. was awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation speaks not only of his courage but of a will forged amid hell:

“Lieutenant Schowalter’s fearless leadership, personal bravery, and self-sacrifice were directly responsible for holding a vital position from which the enemy could not crush the front.”

Generals lauded his grit. Fellow soldiers remembered him as relentless and fearless, refusing to ask of his men what he would not endure himself.

Colonel Ralph Puckett, a fellow officer and Medal of Honor recipient, said, “Schowalter was the kind of leader every man wants beside him. He carried the fight on his back.”

Blood, Sacrifice, and Redemption

Combat scars carved Schowalter’s body and soul. Yet, amid such violence, he found purpose—redemption through sacrifice. His faith never faltered. It was him, the shepherd who stood fast, despite wounds, despair, and death snarling all around.

“He bore our pain,” echoes Isaiah 53:4–5, a scripture aligned with every soldier who suffers for his brothers, for the land they love. Schowalter understood this as he wrestled with survival and leadership in Korea’s frozen hell.

His story is not one of glory alone but of ruthless mercy—bearing the burden, staying until the last enemy was shoved back and his men were safe.

Legacy of Iron Resolve

Edward R. Schowalter Jr.’s tale is etched into the lineage of American grit—not just medals, but what the medals mean. A commitment to stand when the earth shakes, when death whispers its claim.

He reminds every veteran that courage is not absence of fear, but defiance in the face of it. Every civilian owes respect to the cost of that bravery—the hours and wounds invisible long after the guns have ceased.

His bloodied stand at Hill 770 is a testament: The battle is won not only by arms but by unbreakable spirit.

Redemption is written in the blood of those who lead the charge and face the dark so others may live free.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Schowalter’s fight echoes the eternal promise. The front lines may be silent now, but his legacy—steadfast and relentless—still roars in the heart of every warrior who dares to hold the line.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History – Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War 2. Medal of Honor citation, Edward R. Schowalter Jr., 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division (April 1951) 3. Puckett, Ralph. The Last Stand of the 31st: Letters from Korea (University Press, 1995) 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society – Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Profile