Sergeant 1st Class Ernest Kouma, a tank commander in 72nd Tank Battalion, risked his life above and beyond the call of duty in action near the vicinity of Agok, Korea.
On the evening of Aug. 31, 1950, his armored unit was given the mission of covering the infantry withdrawal after 500 North Koreans launched an attack. Additional enemy assaults left Kouma and his tank crew the sole remaining obstacle to the enemy. Continuous fighting throughout the night and into the early morning resulted in several severe wounds to Kouma, who at one point had delivered point blank fire into the enemy as they surrounded his tank.
After fighting eight miles to return to friendly lines, he attempted to resupply his tank and return to the front. For his heroism he received the Medal of Honor.
A native of Nebraska, Kouma served at Fort Knox after the war and retired as a master sergeant in 1971 after 31 years of service. He died at his Breckinridge County, Kentucky, home Dec. 19, 1993, and is the sole Medal of Honor recipient buried in the Fort Knox Post Cemetery.
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