 One of A Company 's platoons , under the command of Lieutenant Ray Bixler , faced most of the pressure of the North Korean assault . Tank fire had destroyed the American wire communications to their artillery , which began to fall on their own positions in the belief that they had been overrun with North Koreans , before Stephens was able to call it off . In the meantime , at 1135 Bixler 's platoon was surrounded and destroyed , most of the men of the platoon were killed in their foxholes by the North Korean infantry . Following this , men on the right flank began deserting their positions regardless of Stephens ' efforts to keep them there . Finally at 1205 , Stephens ordered his men to withdraw . American forces had great difficulty retreating through the wet rice paddies , and a disorganized retreat followed as they attempted to pull back . During the retreat , several U.S. aircraft returned and , mistaking the soldiers of the 1st Battalion , 21st Infantry for North Koreans , began to strafe them . The aircraft inflicted no casualties , but the battalion overall had suffered 20 percent casualties with 33 killed and 35 wounded during the engagement , as well as 14 killed in the mortar company . 
