Edward R. Schowalter Jr.'s Medal of Honor on Heartbreak Ridge

Oct 09 , 2025

Edward R. Schowalter Jr.'s Medal of Honor on Heartbreak Ridge

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. stood alone atop Heartbreak Ridge, bloodied but unyielding. His rifle cracked through the biting Korean air, answering enemy volleys with relentless fury. The hillside burned with chaos. Corporal Schowalter was the last line. The few men left clung to his every command. When the enemy surged, he surged harder. Wounds be damned, his voice cut through the hell like a war cry.

Background & Faith

Born into the hard scrabble life of rural Alabama, Schowalter was forged in faith and grit. A devout Christian, his mother’s prayers were as constant as the cicadas in the summer heat. “My strength comes from the Lord,” he’d say later, clinging to that anchor in the storm of war.

He enlisted at 17. Discipline was second nature. Loyalty, sacrosanct. “To lead men, you must serve them first,” was his code. The Bible wasn’t just a book in his pack but a moral compass amid the fog of combat. It was a quiet, unyielding presence behind his fierce resolve.

The Battle That Defined Him

September 3, 1951. Heartbreak Ridge—Pusan, Korea. The 27th Infantry Regiment faced a ferocious Chinese assault. Schowalter, 2nd Lt. then, led Company I, tasked with holding Hill 605.

The enemy nights were long. Mortars pounded like thunder. The ridge was braided with razor wire and cold death. As the infiltration began, Schowalter’s position crumbled under sheer weight of numbers.

Shot through the arm and chest. His body screamed for relief. But he refused to quit. With a broken radio and dwindling ammo, he rallied his men: “Hold here, no matter what.” Alone he moved between foxholes, directing fire, dragging wounded to cover.

His leadership wasn’t just orders but example. When an enemy grenade landed in their bunker, Schowalter hurled himself on it, shielding others from the blast. A soldier later said, “He didn’t just fight the enemy; he fought fear itself.”

Despite near-fatal wounds, he led a counterattack, pushing the enemy back over the ridge. His actions stalled a potentially devastating breakthrough. The ridge remained American soil—blood-soaked but unyielding.

Recognition

For this extraordinary valor, Edward R. Schowalter Jr. received the Medal of Honor. His citation speaks plainly to the ferocity and sacrificial grit displayed:

“With complete disregard for his personal safety and after being seriously wounded, he fought continuously... his heroic actions were an inspiration and contributed materially to the success of the operation.”

Generals and fellow soldiers praised him. Lt. Col. Calvin Allen remarked, “Schowalter’s courage under fire galvanized the entire regiment. He damned the odds, and his leadership saved countless lives.”

Legacy & Lessons

Schowalter’s story isn’t just medals on a ribbon bar. It’s about what happens in the space between fear and faith—where a man chooses to stand, bleed, and lead.

“The battles we fight outside are nothing compared to the wars within,” he later reflected, embodying the scars that time cannot erase.

His life reminds us that heroism wears many faces: the raw violence of combat, the pain swallowed in silence, the faith that carries a man beyond his limits.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid... for the Lord your God goes with you.” — Deuteronomy 31:6

Schowalter’s legacy is a call to grit and grace. To fight not for glory, but for the men beside you. To hold the line—no matter how broken or battered.

In the smoke and dirt of Heartbreak Ridge, he found his purpose. And in that purpose, our hope.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients — Korean War” 2. Schowalter, Edward R. Jr., Medal of Honor citation text, 1951 3. Allen, Calvin, “Testimony on Korean War Leadership” (Official Report)