Tibor Rubin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tibor Rubin
Rubin wearing the Medal of Honor in September 2005
Nickname(s)	Ted
Born	(1929-06-18)June 18, 1929 Pásztó, Hungary
Died	December 5, 2015(2015-12-05) (aged 86) Garden Grove, California, U.S.
Place of burial	Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery Los Angeles, California
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1950–1953
Rank	Corporal
Unit	Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, First Cavalry Division
Battles/wars	Korean War
Awards	Medal of Honor Purple Heart (2)
Spouse(s)	Yvonne Meyers ​ (m. 1963)​
Children	2

Tibor "Ted" Rubin (June 18, 1929 – December 5, 2015) was a brave Hungarian-American soldier. He served as a Corporal in the United States Army. Tibor was a Holocaust survivor who moved to the U.S. in 1948. He fought in the Korean War and was given the Medal of Honor for his amazing actions. This award recognized his courage both in battle and as a prisoner of war (POW).

President George W. Bush gave Rubin the Medal of Honor on September 23, 2005. This was 55 years after the Korean War ended. Tibor Rubin had been nominated for military awards many times before. However, he was unfairly overlooked by a superior officer. Other soldiers who fought with Rubin said his sergeant treated him badly because he was Jewish. They said the sergeant gave Rubin dangerous jobs hoping he would be killed. In 2016, a VA Medical Center in Long Beach, California, was renamed the "Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center" in his honor.

Tibor Rubin's Early Life

Tibor Rubin was born on June 18, 1929, in Pásztó, a town in Hungary. His family was Jewish. He was one of six children. His father, Ferenc Rubin, was a shoemaker.

When Tibor was 13, his father and stepmother tried to send him to safety in Switzerland. However, he was caught and sent to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. This was a very difficult time. American soldiers freed him from the camp on May 5, 1945. Sadly, both of his parents and one of his sisters died during the Holocaust.

Moving to the United States

Tibor Rubin came to the United States in 1948. He settled in New York City. He first worked as a shoemaker, just like his father. Then, he trained to be a butcher for about a year.

In 1949, he tried to join the U.S. Army. He failed the English language test. But he tried again in 1950. With a little help from others taking the test, he passed and was able to join the Army.

Facing Unfair Treatment in the Army

By July 1950, Private First Class Rubin was fighting in South Korea. He was part of I Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, First Cavalry Division. Many soldiers who served with Rubin said that a sergeant named Arthur Peyton treated Rubin unfairly. This sergeant often made Rubin do the most dangerous patrols and missions.

During one mission, Rubin bravely defended a hill by himself for 24 hours. He fought against many North Korean soldiers. This helped his company retreat safely. For this and other brave acts, two of his officers recommended him for the Medal of Honor four times. These officers were killed soon after. But they had ordered Rubin's sergeant to start the paperwork for the award. Rubin's comrades saw this order given. They believed the sergeant purposely ignored it. One corporal wrote that the sergeant would have risked his own safety rather than help a Jewish soldier get the Medal of Honor.

Life as a Prisoner of War

In late October 1950, many Chinese soldiers entered North Korea. They attacked the American troops. Most of Rubin's regiment was killed or captured. Rubin was badly hurt and became a prisoner of war. He spent the next 30 months in a POW camp.

Life in the camp was very hard. There was constant hunger, dirt, and sickness. Many soldiers gave up hope. But Rubin was different. Almost every night, he would sneak out of the camp. He would steal food from the Chinese and North Korean supply areas. He knew he could be shot if caught.

Rubin shared the food equally with the other American soldiers. He also took care of them when they were sick. He carried them to the latrine and did many good deeds. He called these "mitzvahs," which are good deeds in the Jewish tradition. Helping others was very important to him. The soldiers who survived the camp said Rubin kept them alive. He saved at least 40 American soldiers. Rubin also refused offers from his captors to return to Hungary, which was then under Soviet control.

Awards and Honors

Why Tibor Rubin Received the Medal of Honor

In 1993, the U.S. Army looked into cases where medals might have been unfairly denied. In 2001, Congress asked for more reviews. This investigation showed that Tibor Rubin had been treated unfairly because of his religion. It was clear he should have received the Medal of Honor much earlier.

In 2005, President George W. Bush officially presented the Medal of Honor to Rubin. The ceremony took place at the White House. It recognized his heroic actions during the Korean War in 1950.

Tibor Rubin's Later Life and Legacy

After his time in the military, Tibor Rubin worked at his brother's store in Long Beach. He lived in Garden Grove, California.

He spent many hours volunteering at the Long Beach Veterans Hospital. He even received an award for volunteering over 20,000 hours! On May 10, 2017, the Medical Center was named the "Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center" in his honor.

Tibor Rubin passed away on December 5, 2015, at his home. He is remembered as a true hero.

Finnigan's War: A Documentary About Heroes

Tibor Rubin is one of the Korean War heroes featured in a 2013 documentary called Finnigan's War. The film was directed by Conor Timmis. In the movie, Rubin talks about his experiences in the Holocaust and as a POW in the Korean War. His interview is shown alongside parts of President George W. Bush's 2005 Medal of Honor ceremony, where the President tells Rubin's life story. Actor Mark Hamill also narrates Rubin's Medal of Honor citation in the film. The filmmaker was very impressed by Rubin's positive attitude and sense of humor, even after all the hardships he faced.

See also

• List of Korean War Medal of Honor recipients
• List of Jewish Medal of Honor recipients
• Single Handed (book) by Daniel M. Cohen