Jan 20 , 2026

Edward Schowalter Jr. and his Medal of Honor at Hill 598

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. stood in a hailstorm of bullets and artillery shells. Blood soaked his uniform. The hillside bled red and smoke. Around him, men faltered. Enemy forces—waves of them—clawed at every inch. Yet, he would not relent. Not that day. Not ever.

This was a man forged in fire. A soldier whose grit defined the very meaning of valor.

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Roots of a Warrior

Born in Loring, Alabama, Edward Schowalter Jr. grew up steeped in Southern grit and a deep reverence for faith. Raised in a devout household, he carried the weight of scripture and service in his heart before ever putting on a uniform.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” he reportedly held close—a creed for the trials ahead (Philippians 4:13).

Before Korea, Schowalter enlisted in the Army in 1949. The promise of duty wasn’t just about country; it was a covenant. Honor, sacrifice, and brotherhood formed the backbone of his ethics.

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The Battle That Defined Him

March 8, 1953, near Hill 598 in Korea.

Company C, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division bore the brunt of a relentless Chinese offensive. Schowalter, a young lieutenant, faced overwhelming enemy forces intent on crushing his unit.

Despite being shot through the chest and suffering multiple wounds, he refused evacuation. Every step forward was agony. Every order barked from cracked lips became salvation for his surrounded men.

“With complete disregard for his own life, 1st Lt. Schowalter continuously directed and inspired his men, personally engaging in hand-to-hand combat to drive the enemy from the hill.” — Medal of Honor citation[1]

He shifted positions constantly to cover his squad, destroyed enemy bunkers, and faced the knife edge of death time and again. When an enemy grenade landed near his men, Schowalter hurled himself upon it, muffling the blast with his body, saving lives at the edge of the abyss.

Pain was a language he refused to speak aloud. The mission was larger than flesh.

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Recognition Earned in Blood

On February 25, 1954, Schowalter received the Medal of Honor. The citation painted a grim portrait of heroism born of desperation:

“Displaying gallantry above and beyond the call of duty, 1st Lt. Schowalter’s heroic and selfless actions were instrumental in repulsing the enemy, inspiring his men under the toughest conditions.”[1]

Few commanders of men matched his unyielding resolve. One fellow soldier later said,

“He never asked us to do something he wouldn’t do first... We fought because he fought—and that made all the difference.”[2]

Schowalter’s medal was not just an ornament. It was a testament to standing firm when all seemed lost. To choosing courage over comfort. To honoring the silent oath warriors swear under fire.

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The Enduring Legacy

Edward Schowalter Jr. teaches us that valor isn’t born in the absence of fear. It’s born in defiance of it.

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

His scars are not just physical—they are spiritual. Proof that sacrifice carves a path through chaos toward hope.

To his comrades still fighting battles invisible, and the civilians trying to grasp a warrior’s world: Schowalter’s story is a beacon. The warrior’s fight never ends with the last bullet fired. It lives on in purpose, faith, and the relentless refusal to quit.

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_Strength is not the absence of wounds; it is the courage to endure them._

Remember him. Remember what it took to stand when the world demanded you fall.

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Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History, “Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War” [2] Charles A. Powell, Faith of the Fighting Man: Stories of Combat and Conviction (2010)

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