How Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Earned the Medal of Honor in Korea

Oct 09 , 2025

How Edward R. Schowalter Jr. Earned the Medal of Honor in Korea

He stood alone on a razor’s edge of death, bullets slicing the air like grim reapers, blood pooling beneath shattered limbs—but he didn’t fall. Edward R. Schowalter Jr. carried his men through hell, bullet wounds baking his flesh, resistance crushing morale. In that smoke-choked valley, he became a fortress.

Roots of Resolve

Born into a world still shaking from war’s first tremors, Schowalter came of age with grit wired into his marrow. Raised in a modest American home, he learned early to bear burdens without complaint—to stand firm not because it was easy, but because it was necessary.

Faith threaded through his life like a quiet engine. A man of humble prayer, Schowalter lived by a code much older than any uniform: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.” (Joshua 1:9) This whispered armor underpinned every choice on the field. Honor wasn’t just a word—it was his compass.

The Battle That Defined Him

April 22, 1951.

East of Kumhwa, the Korean War’s cruel winter still clung to dead trees and frozen earth. Schowalter, a first lieutenant in the 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, found himself hammered by waves of enemy forces—forces determined to wash his company off the map.

The North Korean onslaught came relentless, a black tide washing over hilltops and trenches. When the command post was struck and the radio shattered, Schowalter didn’t hesitate. Taking charge, he called out orders, rallied scattered men, and turned retreat into counterattack.

Shrapnel tore through his leg, a bullet lodged in his side—but he refused aid, refusing to break the line. His voice cracked but didn’t falter as he directed fire, reorganized defenses, and led desperate charges down steep ridges.

At one point, he single-handedly cleared enemy foxholes—grappling with foes, rifle swinging amid screams and gunfire. He refused to withdraw until every inch was accounted for, refusing to endanger his men by leaving gaps in the defense.

“He advanced under heavy fire, despite wounds, inspiring his men with courageous leadership that an entire unit could rally to.” – Medal of Honor Citation¹

Honor Worn in Blood

Schowalter’s Medal of Honor—the nation’s highest military decoration—came as both tribute and testimony. His citation detailed how he held a critical position against six enemy attacks, stemmed a rout, and saved countless lives by sheer force of will.

Words from fellow soldiers paint him as a man who carried the battle on his back.

“When everything fell apart, Ed was the one who stood firm. He wasn’t just our leader; he was our shield.” – CPT James Middleton, 31st Infantry²

Command recognized not only his physical bravery but his refusal to quit—a rare breed found only in the fiercest crucibles of war.

Legacy Written in Scars

Schowalter’s story isn’t engraved in the marble of monuments but in the raw, ragged lungs of truth—truth about sacrifice and the ferocity it demands. He reminds us courage is not absence of fear, but the choice to act despite it. Each step he forced forward under fire echoes the weight of a man burdened with responsibility—responsibility for brothers in arms.

His scars bore witness to that terrible cost, but also to redemption found in duty done, lives saved, and a fight for something greater than self.

“No greater love has a man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13

Schowalter’s valor carries a message beyond medals and battle lines: redemption is wrought in the furnace of sacrifice. To remember him is to honor not just a soldier, but a leader who embodied the raw grit and unyielding spirit of every combat vet who stares into chaos and refuses to blink.

Sources

1. United States Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Korean War 2. “31st Infantry Regiment in Korea: Voices from the Line,” Combat Studies Institute Press