ITD Vault: 25 Years Ago New plate honors heroes The first Idaho-issued congressional Medal of Honor license plate was presented in June to David B. Bleak, of Moore, Idaho. The plates were provided in time for them to be put on his car for the Fourth of July motorcade through town. Bleak served in the U.S. Army and received the award for action of June 14, 1952, in Korea. According to the General Order, the Congressional Medal of Honor was awarded to Sgt. Bleak, a member of the medical company, “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life and beyond the call of duty.”
Bleak, then just 20 years old, is credited with saving the patrol's wounded and ensuring that all of its members returned to allied lines. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He also won the Purple Heart for leg wounds suffered in the same encounter. Bleak passed away in March 2006, but the Medal of Honor plate program lives on, issuing 94 MOH plates since 1991. In June 2006, Bleak's family presented his Medal of Honor to the Idaho Military History Museum, where it is still displayed.
Published 07-17-15 |