Korean War Veteran Finally Awarded the Medal of Honor
A 76 year old Korean War veteran has finally been awarded the nation’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor:
Rubin, 76, was born in Hungary and sent to the Nazi concentration camp in Mauthausen, Austria, as a boy. His parents and a sister were killed during their imprisonment, but Rubin survived for 14 months and was freed when American soldiers stormed the camp.
He swore to pay back the country for that freedom, and eventually emigrated to America and joined the Army. He was sent to North Korea in 1950 with the 8th Cavalry Regiment and distinguished himself for bravery in battle during several firefights around Pusan.
In once instance, Army officials said, he took hold of his unit’s only remaining weapon — a machine gun whose previous three gunners had been shot — and held off an advancing force long enough for his troops to retreat.
During that escape he was captured, but the North Koreans offered to return him to Hungary rather than keep him prisoner.
“My English at the time wasn’t so good, but I told them I’d have to go (with the POWs),†he said. “I wouldn’t want to leave without them, because I had my brothers there.â€
Rubin’s story is really amazing. This guy was liberated from Nazi death camp by US soldiers and then four years later he was serving in the very Army that liberated him from the death camp. A really inspiring story and a great man worthy of the nation’s highest honor.
You can get a more detailed background on Rubin from the Mudville Gazette by clicking here.
