 Kouma 's force was then ambushed by a group of North Koreans dressed in US military uniforms . Kouma was wounded a second time , in the shoulder , as he beat back repeated North Korean crossings on his machine gun . Several strong attacks came within meters of the tank , but Kouma was able to drive them back despite his wounds . Eventually , the other three vehicles withdrew or were neutralized , and Kouma held the Agok crossing site until 07 : 30 the next morning with his tank . At one point , the tank was surrounded and Kouma had to engage the North Koreans from outside the tank with machine gun fire at point blank range . After the tank gun 's ammunition was expended , Kouma used his pistol and grenades to hold off the North Koreans . The tank then withdrew 8 miles ( 13 km ) to the newly established American lines , destroying three North Korean machine gun positions along the way . During his action , Kouma had killed an estimated 250 North Korean troops . His actions in this fight alone surpassed the highly decorated US Army soldier Audie Murphy , who was credited with 240 kills during World War II , and who had been the second most decorated US soldier in the war . 
