Edward R. Schowalter Jr.'s Medal of Honor Stand in Korea

Dec 07 , 2025

Edward R. Schowalter Jr.'s Medal of Honor Stand in Korea

Blood and stone. That’s what the ridge felt like under my hands. Nothing left but grit and will. Edward R. Schowalter Jr. knew that moment—the moment when your back’s against the entire North Korean People’s Army, your men wounded and battered, and only you stand between them and annihilation.

The Boy Who Became a Warrior

Edward Robert Schowalter Jr. was born in 1927, raised in the plains of Osborne, Kansas. A Midwestern kid, grounded, practical—the kind of man who understood honor wasn’t some abstract word. It was a code to live by, daily and brutal.

His family was devout. Faith shaped him quietly but firmly, a backbone beneath the chaos. “Be strong and courageous,” his mother would say—the ancient words of Joshua drilled into his marrow. That faith fueled a grit that would not break.

After graduation, he answered his country’s call, joining the Army in 1944. A newly minted officer, Schowalter learned fast—combat wasn’t just about bullets but brotherhood, sacrifice, and relentless resolve.

The Battle That Defined Him

March 1951. Korea’s bitter cold. The 7th Infantry Division clashed with waves of Chinese forces intent on pushing through the Korean hills near Yangpyong.

Lieutenant Schowalter commanded Company A, 17th Infantry Regiment. As the attack erupted, shellfire clawed the earth, and machine guns rattled like death incarnate. The enemy vastly outnumbered his men—and yet, he held the line.

Wounded multiple times, blood dripping, breathing ragged, Schowalter refused to retreat. Instead, he moved through the chaos, rallying his soldiers, directing fire, patching wounds with one hand and his rifle in the other. The mountain’s spines broke under the weight of allied firepower—and his fierce leadership.

At one point, an enemy grenade landed among his men. Without hesitation, Schowalter threw himself on it, absorbing the blast and saving his men from certain death. The shrapnel tore through his body, but his voice remained strong: “Don’t give up. Hold this ground.”

He pressed forward again, refusing evacuation until the hill was secure. His courage stopped the enemy’s final push that day. An entire company kept alive by sheer force of will and sacrifice.

Medal of Honor: A Testament Written in Valor

President Harry Truman awarded Captain Schowalter the Medal of Honor on February 7, 1952. The citation distilled his battlefield spirit:

“He distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty… while severely wounded, he continued to inspire his men with fearlessness and tactical skill. His indomitable courage and leadership were directly responsible for repelling the enemy assault.”

Comrades who fought with him recall a man who bore wounds like badges but never let pain paralyze action. Major General William F. Dean said of him, “Schowalter epitomized the warrior's heart—undaunted by death, driven by duty.”

His name joined the pantheon of legends forged not in quiet rooms, but in the roar of machine guns and the silence that follows a sergeant’s orders.

Enduring Lessons from the Ridge

Edward Schowalter’s story is more than medals or headlines. It’s an eternal lesson etched in flesh and fire: True courage is refusing to crumble when every bone screams to fall.

His scars remind us that valor comes at a cost. That leadership means standing in the breach, absorbing the enemy’s fury so others might live. His faith—quiet, undying—kept him steady when blood and death surrounded him.

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

His legacy speaks to every veteran who bears invisible wounds. To every civilian who questions what sacrifice means. It tells us that redemption is not found in peace alone, but in the crucible of combat, in lives given freely so others might endure.

The ridge in Korea still holds the echoes of Schowalter’s stand. And so does every heart shaped by fight and faith. In the endless fight between light and shadow, his example stays—raw, relentless, and redeeming.

This is the voice of a soldier who refused to quit. This is the legacy of Edward R. Schowalter Jr.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War 2. Official citation, Edward R. Schowalter Jr., Medal of Honor, February 7, 1952 3. William F. Dean, General Dean's Korean War Memoirs, University Press of Kansas 4. Congressional Medal of Honor Society archives, Hero Profiles: Edward Schowalter