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LOS ANGELES - Tibor Rubin kept his promise to join the U.S. Army after American troops freed him from the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria during World War II.

A Hungarian Jew, Rubin immigrated to New York after the war, joined the Army and fought as an infantryman in the Korean War. In 1951, Chinese troops captured Cpl. Rubin and other U.S. soldiers and he became a prisoner of war for 2 1/2 years.

More than five decades later, after a relentless campaign by grateful comrades and Jewish war veterans,     President Bush on Sept. 23 will give Rubin the Medal of Honor.

"I was only staying alive to get that medal and now I'm going to enjoy it," said the 76-year-old Rubin, who now lives in Garden Grove.

He was nominated four times for the medal, the nation's highest recognition for bravery in battle. But some believe the paperwork was never submitted because a member of his chain of command discriminated against him for being Jewish and born in Hungary.

When he was at the Chinese prisoners' camp known as "Death Valley," Rubin said he would pray in Hebrew for the U.S. soldiers — about 40 each day — who died in the freezing weather. He also took care of soldiers suffering from dysentery or pneumonia.

Rubin, who goes by the name Ted, called concentration camp good "basic training" for being a POW and applied lifesaving lessons he learned there. For example, Rubin said he would retrieve maggots from the prisoners' latrine and apply them to the infected wounds of his comrades to remove gangrene.

Fellow POW Sgt. Leo Cormier said Rubin gave a lot of GIs the courage to live.

"I once saw him spend the whole night picking lice off a guy who didn't have the strength to lift his head," Cormier told the Army. "What man would do that? ... But Ted did things for his fellow men that made him a hero in my book."

As a POW, Rubin turned down repeated offers from the Chinese to be returned to his native Hungary.

"I told them I couldn't go back because I was in the U.S. Army and I wouldn't leave my American brothers because they needed me here," Rubin said.

Rubin wouldn't say anything negative about the Army and his long wait for the Medal of Honor. But in affidavits filed in support of Rubin's nomination, fellow soldiers said their sergeant was allegedly a vicious anti-Semite who gave Rubin dangerous assignments in hopes of getting him killed.

In 1988, the Jewish War Veterans of the United States urged Congress to recognize Rubin's efforts. And U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler (news, bio, voting record) of Florida introduced a bill in 2001 to force the     Pentagon to review the records of Jewish veterans who may have been denied the Medal of Honor because they were Jews.

About 150 records remain under review, said Bob Zweiman, past national commander of the Jewish War Veterans.

Nominated four times? Sounds like this guy was a super soldier!

I've never understood why people dont like Jews.

So what did he get the MOH for?

Quoted: So what did he get the MOH for?

.

Quoted: So what did he get the MOH for?

With all due respect, do you have to ask?

Quoted: Quoted: So what did he get the MOH for? With all due respect, do you have to ask?

Why does this question seem unreasonable?

Yeah, I have to ask, because the story was not included.

From reading this man's account there is obviously more to a MOH than simply pulling a trigger.  The facts obviously state above and beyond the call of duty. If he saved lives and refused repatriation during his service time when the Communist Chinese offered it to assist others who were less fit then the medal would seem to be appropriate and richly deserved.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: So what did he get the MOH for? With all due respect, do you have to ask? Why does this question seem unreasonable? Yeah, I have to ask, because the story was not included.

So you are asking for a background story not questioning that he deserves it.

The story states that there were four separate instances that he was/could have been nominated for the CMOH.  But it does not state that the story it tells of the POW camp was one of those instances or not.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: So what did he get the MOH for? With all due respect, do you have to ask? Why does this question seem unreasonable? Yeah, I have to ask, because the story was not included.

He turned down freedom so he could continue to help his brothers.  THAT is deserving of a CMOH.


ETA:  WASHINGTON - The White House has announced that President George W. Bush will present the Medal of Honor to Cpl. Tibor Rubin in recognition of his actions in Korea from 1950 to 1953.

The Medal of Honor will be presented to Rubin during a White House ceremony, Sept. 23.

During numerous battles in Korea, Rubin’s actions with the 1st Cavalry Division to engage the enemy and tend to the wounded, were at what officials described as “careless disregard for his own safety.” In one such battle, Rubin single-handedly defended a hill, manning a machinegun for 24 hours, through the night and next morning, allowing the 8th Cavalry Regiment to successfully withdraw.


www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,77153,00.html

What this man did was remarkable; volunteering and serving the way he did in the Army of the country that gave him his freedom.  

It is sad that he was not seriously considered for this honor years before because of his religion. I am happy that he is getting the award while he is still alive.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,77153,00.html

An Excerpt of the article...

During numerous battles in Korea, Rubin’s actions with the 1st Cavalry Division to engage the enemy and tend to the wounded, were at what officials described as “careless disregard for his own safety.” In one such battle, Rubin single-handedly defended a hill, manning a machinegun for 24 hours, through the night and next morning, allowing the 8th Cavalry Regiment to successfully withdraw.

In October 1950, Chinese troops crossed the border into North Korea. During the ensuing battle, Rubin was severely wounded before being 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, officials said.

Witnesses have said that Rubin’s personal actions to obtain food and to provide medical care directly resulted in more than 40 Soldiers surviving “Death Valley” and Pyoktong Prisoner of War camps.

Rubin was first incarcerated at age 13 during World War II. He was forced from his native Hungarian Jewish community to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. Both his parents and two sisters perished in the Holocaust. Rubin survived until the camp was liberated two years later by American troops.

“Army medics brought us survivors back to life,” Rubin said about his rescue from Mauthausen.

“I was liberated by the U.S. Army and felt that if I ever made it to the United States of America that I would join the Army.” Rubin said.

Rubin immigrated to the United States in 1948 and answered the call to duty by volunteering for Army service.

By July 1950, Rubin was fighting on the front lines in Korea as an infantryman in “I” Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.

In the dictionary under "MAN" there should be this guy's picture.

Quoted: I've never understood why people dont like Jews.

It never made any sense to me, a lot of the best people I know are jew. I don't think any group of people work harder or contribute as much to the world on a per-person basis.

I think I know why they are often hated.  Every time in history they are stripped of all possessions they are very quick to succeed and re-establish themselves.  Hard to tell if it is hate or envy?

Quoted: I've never understood why people dont like Jews.

My answer would get the thread moved to the Religion Forum. That should be enough information to allow you to figure it out.

Quoted: I've never understood why people dont like Jews.

Ignorance.  

I don't care if the guy worships the devil.  What that man did for those around him before and during captivity in Korea brings the highest honor on both him and the Army.  The MOH is MORE than deserved.

Quoted: Quoted: I've never understood why people dont like Jews. It never made any sense to me, a lot of the best people I know are jew. I don't think any group of people work harder or contribute as much to the world on a per-person basis.

I have a big problem with one group being singled out for praise as if they are special. He should be recognized as an outstanding human being not that he is hungarian or jewish or because some guy in Congress is trying to put a specific group on a pedastal.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I've never understood why people dont like Jews. It never made any sense to me, a lot of the best people I know are jew. I don't think any group of people work harder or contribute as much to the world on a per-person basis. I have a big problem with one group being singled out for praise as if they are special. He should be recognized as an outstanding human being not that he is hungarian or jewish or because some guy in Congress is trying to put a specific group on a pedastal.

Wow, you totally missed the point. These men who many may have made the ultimate sacrifice for "our" country, may have been completely looked over just because of their religion. From what I have read, the act of congress was only to re-review Jewish soldiers who were previously recommended for awards that were not given.