The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Armor) Kenneth W. Koch (ASN: 0-62190), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Headquarters and Service Company, 72d Tank Battalion, 2d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy on 1 to 3 September 1950 in the vicinity of Yongsan, Korea. Numerically superior enemy forces had broken through the defenses of an infantry regiment and were advancing rapidly toward the town of Yongsan. Lieutenant Koch was ordered to establish a final defensive line to the rear of Yongsan. He proceeded swiftly with his assigned mission, placing his tank platoon in the most favorable defensive perimeter and gathering stragglers from overrun infantry elements to place in the line. On 2 September 1950, the enemy launched repeated assaults in an effort to destroy this deterrent to their offensive. Under Lieutenant Koch’s courageous leadership, his outnumbered forces fought savagely, hurling back the repeated hostile onslaughts. During the entire engagement, he exposed himself fearlessly to the withering enemy fire as he moved from tank to tank, advising and encouraging his men as they supported the riflemen with point blank fire. On 3 September 19509, elements of another unit counterattacked through the line which he had held for two days. Again directing accurate tank fire in support of the assaulting forces, he was greatly instrumental in the success of the counterattack. In this action, as a result of his superior leadership, his tank gunners destroyed six enemy machine gun positions and two observation posts. His heroic actions during this three day period were materially responsible for halting the general advance of the enemy in the sector which he defended. The gallantry displayed by Lieutenant Koch reflects the highest great upon himself is in keeping with the fine traditions of the military service.