Edward Schowalter Jr.'s Hill 105 Bravery That Won the Medal of Honor

May 28 , 2026

Edward Schowalter Jr.'s Hill 105 Bravery That Won the Medal of Honor

Edward Schowalter Jr. stood alone atop Hill 105, bloodied but unbroken, as the night shattered around him. Enemy forces swarmed the heights, waves threatening to drown his company. Yet, with a shattered ankle and his left hand almost useless, he picked up the radio—his lifeline to command—and refused to yield ground.

This wasn’t just survival. It was will incarnate.

The Brotherhood of Blood and Faith

Born in Denver, 1927, Edward Robert Schowalter Jr. learned duty young. His boyhood was a quiet forge—a middle-class backdrop carved by the Great Depression’s shadow. But beneath that calm loomed an unshakable code: Faith first, then honor. Raised with church hymns and stern lessons, Schowalter’s belief in something larger anchored him through war’s chaos.

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

That scripture was his backbone in Korea.

Hill 105: Blood and Steel

May 30, 1951— 8th Army’s push through Korea’s barren ridges brought Schowalter’s 31st Infantry Regiment face-to-face with death’s cold fist. His company tasked with securing Hill 105. Enemy artillery and infantry assaults arrived in relentless tide.

During the assault, an artillery shell tore through the hilltop, shattering Schowalter’s left foot and ankle. Pain screamed, but surrender was not in his vocabulary. He forged forward.

With his platoon decimated and under a barrage of grenades and small arms fire, he personally repelled multiple enemy assaults, rallying the remnants like a bulldog with a broken leg.

When communications faltered, Schowalter crawled across jagged rocks, blood staining everything, to restore the radio link—critical for calling artillery and reinforcements.

The wound to his left hand rendered it nearly useless, but the right hand gripped rifle and radio with a death grip. Minutes stretched into hours, the mountain shuddered with explosions and cries, but inside Schowalter burned a volcanic fury of defiance that would not cool.

His leadership saved his unit and the hill—an impassable line against the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army for three days.

Honors Cast in Fire

For this savage defense, Schowalter was awarded the Medal of Honor—a singular tribute for battlefield heroism in Korea.

His citation (Department of Defense, 1951):

“With the company cut to pieces and the situation desperate, First Lieutenant Schowalter, though seriously wounded in the foot and left hand, by his indomitable leadership, heroic fighting spirit, and inspiring valor, held his command together in the face of overwhelming odds.”

General James Van Fleet called Schowalter’s courage “the finest example of the fighting American spirit.”

Fellow veterans recall how Schowalter never spoke big—only with action and respect. His scars were badges, but his humility was his true armor.

Enduring Legacy: Blood, Faith, and Redemption

Schowalter’s fight on Hill 105 offers more than a story of brute valor. It etches the raw reality of combat into eternity: pain is personal, courage is a choice, and leadership is forged in the crucible of sacrifice.

Combat veterans see themselves in Schowalter’s scars—visible or hidden. The battlefield leaves its mark not just on flesh but on the soul.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” — Matthew 5:9

Edward Schowalter’s battlefield prayers were not for glory, but for peace. A peace earned through endurance, not surrender.

His story demands we honor the battlefield’s silence—not just the noise of medals. It reminds us why men like Schowalter fight, bleed, and still stand.

In every veteran’s heart echoes that same relentless demand: Hold fast. Lead on. Believe still.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War 2. General James Van Fleet, memoirs and official correspondence archived at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center 3. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Medal of Honor Citation