How Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Earned the Medal of Honor at Hill 605

Jan 05 , 2026

How Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Earned the Medal of Honor at Hill 605

Bullets tore the frozen night. Flesh burned cold. And Edward R. Schowalter Jr. stood, unmoving, shouting orders louder than gunfire. His company’s hill was lost ground—a death trap ringed by Chinese forces. Blood slicked the trenches. His wounds screamed. Yet surrender never crossed his mind.

The Making of a Warrior

Born in 1927, Edward carried the hard truths of the heartland—Midwestern grit forged in small-town Indiana. His faith ran deep, a silent anchor amidst chaos. Raised on Scripture and service, he knew the price of loyalty before the war ever stained his boots.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Schowalter walked into the Korean War with a code: protect your men. Honor above all. No retreat. No excuses.

“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

This verse carried weight in the mud and blood of Korea, whispered between bursts of rifle fire. It’s the faith behind every step he took on the deadly ridges.

Hill 605: The Crucible of Fire

November 29, 1951—Hill 605 near Chorwon was a fortress of agony. Schowalter, then a lieutenant colonel leading the 2nd Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, was ordered to hold the position no matter the cost.

The enemy—Chinese People's Volunteer Army—mounted wave after wave against his unit. Overwhelming numbers. The battalion was outnumbered at least three to one, surrounded on three sides.

Despite a bullet through his chin and a shattered nose, Schowalter refused evacuation. His voice cut through the night terror, directing artillery, rallying fragmented squads, and leading counterattacks personally.

Twice, when enemy soldiers tried overrunning his command post, he blasted them away at point-blank range. His company was near annihilation, but Schowalter’s presence was the linchpin holding the line.

He crawled through mud and blood to reposition machine guns and ammunition. His hands were bloody and broken, but he pressed on.

"Lieutenant Colonel Schowalter's gallantry and intrepidity reflect the utmost credit upon himself and the United States Army," his Medal of Honor citation reads.

The Medal of Honor and Veteran Voices

Awarded on January 21, 1952, Schowalter’s Medal of Honor recognized his extraordinary heroism under extreme conditions.[1] Few stories capture the raw essence of combat like his. One comrade later said:

"When everything was screaming for us to fall back, Ed was the voice that kept us fighting. He made us believe in the impossible."

His leadership was not just orders barked over gunfire—it was sacrifice, presence, and a relentless refusal to let his men down.

No flashy command from a distant bunker. No detached oversight. He bled beside his troops. And they lived because he stood when others fell.

Legacy Etched in Valor and Faith

Decades later, his story serves as a beacon for warriors grappling with darkness inside and out. Schowalter embodied the fragile bridge between fury and faith—combat and compassion.

His scars tell of sacrifice. His faith, a compass through the nightmare of war.

Redemption is never given. It’s earned in the mud, through blood and prayer.

Veterans remember him as the man who refused to break—who found strength not in armor, but in the God who sustains when all else falls away.

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

Edward R. Schowalter Jr. stands as proof that courage is born in suffering and that true leadership is sacrifice worn like a second skin. The battlefields may change, but the fight for honor, for purpose, for each other—that never ends.

His story is etched not just in medals but in every heartbeat of a soldier who stakes everything for brothers beside them.

We owe more than memory. We owe them our remembrance, our respect, and our resolve.

Sources

[1] U.S. Army Center of Military History – Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War [2] Richard W. Stewart, Korean War Heroes: Medal of Honor Stories (Naval Institute Press) [3] A.W. Ambrose, History of the 7th Infantry Division in Korea