
The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to
Rubin, Tibor
Rank and organization:
Corporal, U.S. Army, Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry
Division. Place and date: Korea, 23 July 1950 to 20 April 1953. Entered service at:
New York, NY. Birth: 18 June 1929, Hungary.
Citation.
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.
|