Any person who has participated in active duty combat action while serving in the United States Marine Corps or the United States Navy may apply for special motor vehicle license plates for any motor vehicle such person owns, either solely or jointly, other than an apportioned motor vehicle licensed in excess of twenty-four thousand pounds gross weight. Any such person shall make application for the special license plates on a form provided by the director of revenue and furnish such proof as a recipient of the combat infantry badge as the director may require. The director shall then issue license plates bearing the words “COMBAT ACTION RIBBON” in place of the words “SHOW-ME STATE” in a form prescribed by the director, except that such license plates shall be made with fully reflective material, shall have a white background with a blue and red configuration at the discretion of the director, shall be clearly visible at night, and shall be aesthetically attractive, as prescribed by section 301.130. Such plates shall also bear an image of a blue, yellow, and red ribbon. There shall be an additional fee charged for each set of special combat action ribbon license plates issued equal to the fee charged for personalized license plates in section 301.144. There shall be no limit on the number of license plates any person qualified under this section may obtain so long as each set of license plates issued under this section is issued for vehicles owned solely or jointly by such person. License plates issued pursuant to the provisions of this section shall not be transferable to any other person except that any registered co-owner of the motor vehicle shall be entitled to operate the motor vehicle with such plates for the duration of the year licensed in the event of the death of the qualified person.