David B. Bleak

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David Bruce Bleak
Staff Sergeant
Unit2nd Battalion, 223rd Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division
Battles/warsKorean War
AwardsMedal of Honor
Purple Heart

David Bruce Bleak (27 February 1932 – 23 March 2006) was a soldier of the United States Army during the Korean War. Bleak rose to the rank of staff sergeant and was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration of the United States, for his actions near Minari-gol, South Korea, on 14 June 1952.

Born in

Chinese
territory, Bleak's patrol came under heavy attack from fortified Chinese positions. Despite being wounded himself, Bleak rushed the Chinese troops multiple times and killed five of them—four using only his hands—before assisting the wounded, and shielding another soldier from a grenade blast. Bleak 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.

In the years preceding and following his military service, Bleak worked numerous jobs around Idaho and

Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. He died in 2006 from emphysema, Parkinson's disease, and complications from a hip fracture
.

Early life

David Bruce Bleak was born on 27 February 1932 to William Bleak and Tamar Bleak (née Young) in

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[5]

Military service

Bleak entered the Army on 1 November 1950, and attended

Camp Cooke in Lompoc, California, for advanced medical training in preparation for his deployment.[1]

The 40th Infantry Division shipped out to Korea in January 1952, and shortly thereafter, Bleak was promoted to

field medic, assisting troops on the front lines instead of in Mobile Army Surgical Hospital units.[8]

Medal of Honor action

On 14 June 1952, Bleak was part of a patrol of the 2nd Battalion, 223rd Infantry, sent north to probe

automatic weapons fire which struck the lead elements, injuring several soldiers. Bleak, at the rear of the formation, rushed forward and treated and stabilized several soldiers hit in the initial volley, then followed the remainder of the patrol as it continued its mission.[6]

As they attempted to continue up the hill, several Chinese soldiers from a nearby trench opened fire, injuring another soldier. According to eyewitness reports, Bleak rushed the trench and dove into it, tackling one Chinese soldier and breaking the man's neck with only his hands, killing him. Bleak was then confronted by a second soldier, whom he reportedly grabbed by the neck, fatally crushing his windpipe. A third Chinese soldier then approached, and in the ensuing scuffle, Bleak used his combat knife to kill him.[2][3][6]

Bleak then returned to the patrol and attempted to treat more wounded members, but soon thereafter a Chinese

hand grenade bounced off the helmet of the soldier standing next to him and landed nearby. Bleak tackled the soldier and covered him with his larger frame to protect him from the grenade, but neither was injured in the ensuing blast.[6] The patrol then continued on its mission and was successful in capturing several Chinese prisoners.[4] However, as it descended Hill 499 to return to UN lines, they were ambushed by another group of Chinese hidden in a trench with an automatic weapon. Three soldiers were wounded in the attack, and as Bleak attempted to run to them, he was hit in the leg. Bleak dressed all four wounds, but one of the men was so badly wounded he could not move. In spite of continued Chinese fire and his own injury, Bleak picked up the wounded soldier and began to carry him down the hill.[6] As he attempted to withdraw with the wounded soldier, Bleak was confronted by two more Chinese. Putting down the soldier, Bleak reportedly surprised the Chinese soldiers by charging them and smashing their heads together with such force that he may have fractured the skulls of one or both of the assailants before pushing them out of his way.[2][3][6][9] Eventually, all 20 men of the patrol returned to the UN lines, but a third of them were wounded. Bleak was credited with saving the patrol, both by promptly treating the wounded and by aggressively attacking and killing or neutralizing five Chinese soldiers.[6]

Bleak reportedly suffered nerve damage as a result of his leg wound.[6] His wounds required hospitalization, but he returned to duty on 9 July 1952.[9] His tour in Korea ended shortly after the event. He finished his enlistment by serving in Japan, and on 27 October 1953 he was awarded the Medal of Honor in a ceremony at the White House with President Dwight D. Eisenhower.[6] He retired from the Army as a staff sergeant.[1]

Civilian life

After leaving the military at the end of the Korean War, Bleak returned to Idaho. He later moved to

Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, where he worked his way up until his retirement in the mid-1990s as chief hot cell technician, responsible for disposing of spent nuclear fuel rods.[4]

He died on 23 March 2006, at the Lost Rivers District Hospital in

cremated and his remains were scattered in Idaho, at his favorite fishing location. His family later placed a cenotaph in his honor at the Lost River Cemetery in Butte County, Idaho.[10]

Honors

In 1995 a medical clinic at

Fort Sill, Oklahoma, was named for Bleak, and following his death, the Governor of Oklahoma declared 14 June 2007 "Sergeant David Bruce Bleak Day" for the 55th anniversary of Bleak's accomplishments.[4] On 14 June 2006, Bleak's family presented his Medal of Honor to the Idaho Military History Museum, where it is now displayed, alongside that of fellow Idaho recipient Gurdon H. Barter.[10]

Awards and decorations

Bleak's awards include:[1]

A metal device depicting a blue bar with a rifle, in front of a wreath of silver leaves.
A light blue military ribbon with five white stars with five points each.
A purple ribbon with white stripes on each end.
Bronze star
Combat Medical Badge
Medal of Honor
Purple Heart Medal
 Good Conduct Medal National Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
with service star
United Nations Service Medal for Korea
 Korean War Service Medal[n 2]
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
40th Infantry Division
SSI-FWTS

Medal of Honor citation

Bleak was one of eight field medics and

Richard Dewert, Francis C. Hammond, and John E. Kilmer from the US Navy.[11]

Sgt. Bleak, a member of the medical company, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. As a medical aidman, he volunteered to accompany a reconnaissance patrol committed to engage the enemy and capture a prisoner for interrogation. Forging up the rugged slope of the key terrain, the group was subjected to intense automatic weapons and small arms fire and suffered several casualties. After administering to the wounded, he continued to advance with the patrol. Nearing the military crest of the hill, while attempting to cross the fire-swept area to attend the wounded, he came under hostile fire from a small group of the enemy concealed in a trench. Entering the trench he closed with the enemy, killed 2 with bare hands and a third with his trench knife. Moving from the emplacement, he saw a concussion grenade fall in front of a companion and, quickly shifting his position, shielded the man from the impact of the blast. Later, while ministering to the wounded, he was struck by a hostile bullet but, despite the wound, he undertook to evacuate a wounded comrade. As he moved down the hill with his heavy burden, he was attacked by 2 enemy soldiers with fixed bayonets. Closing with the aggressors, he grabbed them and smacked their heads together, then carried his helpless comrade down the hill to safety. Sgt. Bleak's dauntless courage and intrepid actions reflect utmost credit upon himself and are in keeping with the honored traditions of the military service.[12]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ The F Company diversionary attack may have been the action for which Corporal Clifton T. Speicher was himself awarded the Medal of Honor. (Ecker 2004, p. 138)
  2. ^ In 2000 this award was made retroactive to all US military who served in the Korean War.

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e f Willibanks 2011, p. 25
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Bernstein, Adam (31 March 2006), "David Bleak, 74; Won Medal of Honor in Korea", The Washington Post, retrieved 18 March 2012
  3. ^ a b c Collier & Del Calzo 2006, p. 151
  4. ^ a b c d e f Willibanks 2011, p. 27
  5. ^ FreemanWright 2003, p. 48
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Willibanks 2011, p. 26
  7. ^ Ecker 2004, p. 136
  8. ^ Greenwood 2005, p. 126
  9. ^ a b Ecker 2004, p. 138
  10. ^ a b Idaho's Medal of Honor recipients, Idaho Military History Museum, archived from the original on 4 December 2018, retrieved 18 March 2012
  11. ^ Greenwood 2005, p. 131
  12. ^ Ecker 2004, p. 137

Sources

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.

External links

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