FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Tibor Rubin ~ 18 February 08

Tibor Rubin: An Unusual Hero Of The Korean War

by Seymour "Sy" Brody

Tibor Rubin's bravery during the Korean War is probably unparalleled in the history of America's fighting heroes. That is why many organizations and individuals are involved in a major campaign to have Congress award him the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Rubin, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor, lost his parents in a Nazi concentration camp in the latter part of World War II. He managed to stay alive and he was liberated. He came to the United States a year and half later and enlisted in the Army to fight in Korea.

While in Korea, he had broken his leg and was shipped to an Army hospital in Japan. Although his leg was not completely healed, he was assigned to Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, which was engaged in fighting the enemy. Former Sergeant Randall J.J. Briere wrote in a letter to the President of the United States, "Although his leg was not completely healed, Tibor went about his everyday chores, always helping others who needed a boost, never concerned for his own health or safety. I warned him to be more cautious since the enemy was out in front of us, but when a cry for help was heard, Tibor managed to be the first one on the scene..."

On November 1, 1950, Tibor was wounded with shrapnel from a grenade in the left hand and chest. He and others of his company were captured by the Chinese, who were fighting with the Korean Communist government. The Chinese forced the captured American soldiers, including the wounded and the sick, to march hard and tedious distance to their prisoner of war camp. Tibor and Father Emil Kapaun, who later died in the prison camp, were both wounded but were carrying stretchers and assisting others who could not walk.

Tibor and Chaplain Kapaun were risking their lives when during rest breaks, they went up and down the line to console the tired soldiers, urging them to continue the march. Those who lagged behind were shot by the enemy. The death rate in the prisoner of war camp was running between 30 and 40 men a day. There were shortages of food, medical attention and medicine. The soldiers were still wearing their summer clothes with temperatures between 30 and 40 degrees.

Rubin, who had learned to survive in a Nazi concentration camp, applied his experience to sneak out during the night to steal food from the Chinese. He would give this food to the other prisoners, especially the sick and dying. Everytime he went out for food, Tibor was risking his life. He felt that this way his way of getting back at the enemy as they were short on food themselves.

Tibor was a prisoner for two and one-half years. His fellow prisoners credit him with saving 35 to 40 lives with his daring, almost nightly ventures of stealing food for his comrades. Tibor turned down a number of offers from the Chinese to send him back to his native Hungary.

Tibor Rubin and the others were finally released and sent back to the American hospital in Freedom Village, Korea. He was a stretcher case, suffering from his wounds without complaints. He has been recommended for the Congressional Medal of Honor by the Jewish War Veterans of the USA, Korean Prisoner of War Association, many of his comrades in the prisoner of war camp, individuals and others.

Many heroes receive their awards and recognition through an action that could take minutes, hours, and even a few days. Tibor's heroism and bravery was to be over a two and a half year period, never knowing when he would be caught and executed.

On September 23, 2005, Tibor Rubin was recognized for his heroism when President George Bush presented him with the Medal of Honor at a White House ceremony. It took over 50 years for the military to overcome its bias to give him this prestigious award.

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Corporal Tibor Rubin distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism during the period from July 23, 1950, to April 20, 1953, while serving as a rifleman with Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division in the Republic of Korea. While his unit was retreating to the Pusan Perimeter, Corporal Rubin was assigned to stay behind to keep open the vital Taegu-Pusan Road link used by his withdrawing unit. During the ensuing battle, overwhelming numbers of North Korean troops assaulted a hill defended solely by Corporal Rubin. He inflicted a staggering number of casualties on the attacking force during his personal 24-hour battle, single-handedly slowing the enemy advance and allowing the 8th Cavalry Regiment to complete its withdrawal successfully. Following the breakout from the Pusan Perimeter, the 8 th Cavalry Regiment proceeded northward and advanced into North Korea. During the advance, he helped capture several hundred North Korean soldiers. On October 30, 1950, Chinese forces attacked his unit at Unsan, North Korea, during a massive nighttime assault. That night and throughout the next day, he manned a .30 caliber machine gun at the south end of the unit's line after three previous gunners became casualties. He continued to man his machine gun until his ammunition was exhausted. His determined stand slowed the pace of the enemy advance in his sector, permitting the remnants of his unit to retreat southward. As the battle raged, Corporal Rubin was severely wounded and captured by the Chinese. Choosing to remain in the prison camp despite offers from the Chinese to return him to his native Hungary, Corporal Rubin disregarded his own personal safety and immediately began sneaking out of the camp at night in search of food for his comrades. Breaking into enemy food storehouses and gardens, he risked certain torture or death if caught. Corporal Rubin provided not only food to the starving Soldiers, but also desperately needed medical care and moral support for the sick and wounded of the POW camp. His brave, selfless efforts were directly attributed to saving the lives of as many as forty of his fellow prisoners. Corporal Rubin's gallant actions in close contact with the enemy and unyielding courage and bravery while a prisoner of war are in the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.