Medal of Honor to be Awarded to Cpl. Tibor Rubin
WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 /U.S. Newswire/ -- President George W. Bush announced last night that he will honor Cpl. Tibor Rubin in recognition of his courageous actions in Korea from 1950 to 1953. The Medal of Honor will be presented to Rubin during a White House ceremony, Sept. 23.
Rubin, a 76-year old Holocaust survivor and Korean War POW, is an American hero with a unique story of survival and conspicuous gallantry for actions that occurred over a two and a half year period.
Forced from his native Hungarian Jewish community, Rubin, along with parents and two sisters were transferred to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. While members of his family perished in the Holocaust, Rubin survived until the camp was liberated two years later by American troops.
In 1948, young Rubin came to America and a year later, enlisted in the United States Army out of gratitude to his adopted homeland and as a fast track to citizenship. Later that year, he fought as an infantryman on the frontlines in the Korean War.
On numerous engagements, Rubin's actions to engage the enemy and to tend the wounded, at careless disregard for his own safety, resulted in the heroic defense of his unit. In one such mission, Rubin single-handedly defended a hill for 24 hours thereby allowing his company to withdraw. Rubin's actions were repeatedly recognized by his fellow Soldiers and his commanding officers who recommended him three times for the Medal of Honor. Yet a member of his chain of command who is believed to have discriminated against him because of his religious background and national origin failed to submit the paperwork for the award.
In October 1950, Chinese troops crossed the border into North Korea and attacked American troops. In the ensuing battle, Rubin was severely wounded and captured along with other Soldiers. For the next two and a half years, Rubin risked his life daily to keep his fellow Soldiers alive and hopeful in two of the worst prisoner of war camps. Rubin refused to quit and more importantly, he refused to let others quit. According to witnesses, his personal actions to obtain food and to provide medical care directly resulted in more than 40 Soldiers surviving "Death Valley" and Pyoktong.
The award of the Medal of Honor to Rubin, regarded by many organizations and individuals as long over due, is part of the Army's effort to honor Soldiers denied recognition due to past discriminatory practices.
http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/rubin
