An elderly Korean War medic used a 3-foot toy soldier Christmas ornament to fend off a pit bull that attacked a 10-year-old girl in Perry Township, Ohio.

Leonard Miller, 88, was hailed as a hero after the girl's 13-year-old sister, frantically sought his help Sunday.

“It had her and was just shaking her and growling, and I hit the dog,” Miller said. “I don’t know how many times, but it didn’t faze that dog, didn’t faze it. So I ... started to hit it on the back several times and it released the little girl.”

Once the girl was safely away from the dog, Miller began closing and locking all the doors of his neighbor's house. This kept the pit bull at bay as police and paramedics arrived on the scene.

First responders tended to the girl’s injuries and told Miller that without his intervention she might not have survived. He credited his Korean War experience with giving him the skills to handle the situation. Nevertheless, Miller remained humble about the ordeal.

“I don’t like to be called a hero,” Miller said.

The local news outlet that broke the story reported that the dog’s status at this time is unknown.

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This is a representational image showing a crime scene tape in Alexandria, Virginia, on June 15, 2017. Getty Images/Mark Wilson
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