FORT KNOX, Ky. — From the battlefields of World War II to a pivotal stand during the Korean War, retired Master Sgt. Ernest R. Kouma’s journey as a tank commander is a well-known one.
Kouma was born in Dwight, Nebraska on Nov. 23, 1919, and he joined the Army on June 16, 1940, where he was first assigned to the 14th Cavalry Regiment, then a horse cavalry unit, stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. The 14th turned in its horses in 1942 and formed the brand-new 14th Armored Regiment, 9th Armored Division. Kouma soon found himself commanding an M3 Light Tank in training.
Did you know: Ernest Kouma was a Fort Knox game warden from the 1960s to the 1970s.
After completing the 1943 Louisiana Maneuvers, the 9th Armored Division was sent to a staging area in England and Kouma was assigned as a M24 Chaffee tank commander. During the war, Kouma's unit fought in the Ardennes Offensive, or Battle of the Bulge, in Belgium in December 1944 and played a key role in capturing the Ludendorff railroad bridge on the Rhine River at Remagen in March 1945.
His extensive combat experience in World War II would later serve him in the battle he is most famous for.
At the conclusion of the war, Kouma returned to the United States and reenlisted into the Armored Division where he was given multiple assignments in Korea. In 1950, Kouma deployed to Korea where he was part of the landing at Inchon, Korea as an M26 Pershing Tank commander.
Come Aug. 31, 1950, Kouma would distinguish himself among few to earn the nation’s highest honor – the Congressional Medal of Honor – during a battle on the Naktong River at Agok, South Korea.
During the Korean War, one of the more notable battles was fought by the 72nd Tank Battalion, Company A with two tanks; two anti-aircraft vehicles from the 82nd Anti-aircraft Artillery AW Battalion, Delta Battery and two 9th Infantry Battalion, Co. A rifle squads.
“The task force was being used for direct suppressive fire and had one job – ensure the Kihang Ferry Crossing and the adjacent village of Agok on the Naktong River were secured,” said Ty Reid, General George Patton Museum Director.
During an infantry support mission on the Naktong River front Kouma’s unit was engaged by the enemy, hidden by a thick layer of fog. According to “South to the Naktong, North to the Yalu” by Roy E. Appleman, the sounds of dogs barking was the only sound in the air from 9-10:15 p.m. when the sound was drowned out by enemy mortar shells falling on the Soldiers of Co. A.
By 10:30 p.m. the fog lifted to show an almost complete enemy bridge offering a direct route to Kouma’s unit.
Kouma, a sergeant 1st class at the time, immediately began ordering Soldiers to fire 90-mm cannon and .50 caliber machine gun rounds at the bridge, collapsing it in no more than a minute. The pontoons holding the fabricated bridge up dispersed before being sank by Co. A fire. The river front was seemingly clear, and silence fell on the unit once again.
At 11 p.m. the silence was broken by small arms fire approaching the unit.
Moments into the encounter Kouma’s unit was rushed by what Kouma thought were surviving 2nd Division South Korean soldiers informing him that a large wave of about 500 enemy fighters was coming their way – they were not. Shortly after, the three North Korean soldiers who were imitating South Korean soldiers leaped off of the tank and began throwing grenades at it while enemy machine gun fire began hitting the area. Kouma and his unit engaged in counterfire, when Kouma was injured twice by enemy grenade and small arms rounds.
Kouma continued to fight as his force of four vehicles dwindled. One anti-aircraft halftrack was knocked out and the other M19 anti-aircraft gun was forced to withdraw with wounded men. This just left the two tanks to defend the ferry crossing.
“Kouma realized that the original firing position of the two tanks in the village was too close to houses, and they needed some high ground to make an effective stand,” said Reid. “Without friendly infantry support, he needed a clear field of fire to keep the enemy soldiers away from his vehicles.”
Kouma withdrew the tanks and moved to a nearby open plain that gave a 200-yard sightline in every direction. Here, they could continue to engage the enemy at will, while the enemy was forced to cross open terrain to get to them.
Reid said, “This was a key tactical decision in the encounter.”
Kouma’s unit fought off the attacks until 1:30 a.m., when an overheating engine caused the second tank commanded by Sgt. 1st Class Oscar V. Berry to withdraw and two tanks became one. It was here where Kouma made his stand as he held his position fighting off repeated assaults throughout the remainder of the night.
During one particular assault, Kouma was forced to move from the armored turret to man the rear-mounted .50 caliber machine gun to fend off the enemies who were able to gain distance on the rear of the vehicle. Once the weapon was depleted of ammo he transitioned to grenades and his pistol, protecting the last remaining tank.
When the battle was over, Kouma continued to fire on enemies he passed along the 8-mile route back to friendly lines. Kouma was estimated to have killed about 250 enemy fighters allowing nine hours for infantry to reestablish defensive lines.
“Kouma’s platoon leader visited the location when they re-secured Agok several days later – he described a field full of expended shells from Kouma and Berry’s tanks – along with many enemy dead and abandoned enemy equipment,” said Reid.
After the battle at Agok, Kouma was offered a battlefield commission, that he turned down because he wanted to remain where the “real” action was. However, he was assigned to recruiting duty in 1951 before becoming a tank gunnery and tactical instructor at Camp Irwin, California. In the 60s, he applied for a combat tour to Vietnam but was not approved due to concerns about him being captured and used for propaganda purposes.
In 1955, Kouma was selected as the noncommissioned officer in charge of the pallbearer’s ceremony that honored World War II and Korean War unknown Soldiers where he presented the United States flag to President Eisenhower.
In 1959, Kouma arrived at the United States Army Armor School at Fort Knox, Kentucky as a cadre member and though not a Kentucky local, Kouma made McDaniels, Kentucky home until his death in 1993. He is the only Medal of Honor recipient interned within the Fort Knox Main Post Cemetery.
Editor’s Note: The historic information contained in this article was provided by General George Patton Museum officials.
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