february march soldier united_states_army korean war bleak rose rank awarded medal honor highest military decoration united_states actions near south_korea june born idaho bleak dropped school combat deployed korea mission north chinese territory bleak patrol came heavy attack fortified chinese positions despite wounded bleak rushed chinese troops multiple times killed chinese soldiers hands assisting wounded soldier grenade blast bleak credited saving patrol wounded ensuring members returned allied lines actions awarded medal honor years preceding following military service bleak worked numerous jobs idaho wyoming working dairy farmer truck driver meat cutter retiring radioactive waste technician died disease complications hip fracture biography born february née young idaho remote farming community seventh children dropped high school worked time farmer railroads grew dissatisfied life idaho eventually decided enlist army hoping world bleak grew height feet tall weighed pounds described humble quiet life bleak member later life active practicing member military career bleak entered army november attended basic combat training fort riley kansas selected medical duty completion training bleak assigned medical company attached shortly bleak assigned unit selected deployment korean war moved camp california advanced medical training preparation deployment shipped korea january shortly bleak promoted sergeant unit assigned mountainous area near south_korea 38th parallel point war fronts largely stabilized duty area characterized constant low level trench warfare continued battles ground produced high casualties bleak served field assisting troops lines instead units medal honor action june bleak patrol sent north probe chinese forward positions attempt obtain chinese prisoners war interrogation bleak volunteered accompany man patrol platoon mission send sparsely feature called hill chinese forces known operating patrol left united_nations lines june cover darkness preceded attack west intended distract chinese forces patrol ascended hill came heavy chinese automatic weapons fire struck lead elements injuring soldiers bleak rear formation rushed forward treated stabilized soldiers hit initial volley followed remainder patrol continued mission attempted continue hill chinese soldiers nearby trench opened fire injuring soldier according witness reports bleak rushed trench dove chinese soldier hands broke soldier neck killing bleak confronted second soldier reportedly grabbed neck fatally crushing chinese soldier approached ensuing bleak combat knife stab kill soldier bleak returned patrol attempted treat wounded members soon chinese hand grenade bounced helmet soldier standing landed nearby bleak tackled soldier covered larger frame protect grenade injured ensuing blast patrol continued mission successful capturing chinese prisoners descended hill return lines ambushed group chinese hidden trench automatic weapon soldiers wounded attack bleak attempted run hit leg bleak dressed wounds men hit critically spite continued chinese fire injury bleak picked wounded soldier began carry hill attempted withdraw wounded soldier bleak confronted chinese putting wounded soldier bleak reportedly surprised chinese soldiers charging smashing heads force fractured pushing way eventually men patrol returned lines wounded bleak credited saving patrol promptly treating wounded aggressively attacking killing chinese soldiers subsequent life bleak reportedly suffered nerve damage result leg wound wounds required returned duty july tour korea ended shortly event finished serving japan october awarded medal honor ceremony white house president retired army leaving military end korean war bleak returned idaho later moved wyoming took jobs truck driver grocery store meat cutter eventually married children wife moved moore idaho ran dairy farm years eventually worked way retirement mid-1990s chief hot cell technician responsible spent nuclear fuel rods died march lost rivers district hospital idaho disease complications hip fracture died day medal honor recipient time death grandchildren great grandchildren following death bleak cremated remains scattered idaho site supposedly favorite fishing location family later placed honor idaho medical clinic fort oklahoma named bleak following death governor oklahoma declared june sergeant 55th anniversary bleak accomplishments june bleak family presented medal honor displayed alongside fellow idaho recipient awards decorations bleak awards include medal honor citation bleak field awarded medal honor korea decoration posthumous recognized deaths army navy sgt bleak member medical company distinguished conspicuous gallantry courage duty action enemy medical volunteered accompany reconnaissance patrol committed engage enemy capture prisoner interrogation rugged slope key terrain group subjected intense automatic weapons small arms fire suffered casualties wounded continued advance patrol nearing military crest hill attempting cross fire swept area attend wounded came hostile fire small group enemy concealed trench entering trench closed enemy killed bare hands trench knife moving saw concussion grenade fall companion quickly shifting position shielded man impact blast later wounded struck hostile bullet despite wound undertook evacuate wounded moved hill heavy burden attacked enemy soldiers fixed closing grabbed heads carried helpless hill safety sgt bleak courage actions reflect credit keeping honored traditions military service
David B. Bleak