When antisemitism refused to honor a WWII hero who survived the Holocaust

From Death Camp to Medal of Honor

The National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas tells the story of America’s most unlikely hero who saved saved 40 prisoners during captivity.

Tibor Rubin survived fourteen months in a Nazi death camp, then came to America and enlisted in the Army to become a “GI Joe.”

In Korea, his antisemitic sergeant tried to get him killed by assigning the most dangerous missions. Instead, Rubin single-handedly held off North Korean forces for 24 hours.

Prejudice buried his heroism for 55 years until President Bush finally honored him in 2005. This is Rubin’s incredible journey from Holocaust survivor to American hero.

A Teen Boy Faced Nazi Terror at Mauthausen

Thirteen-year-old Tibor Rubin tried to escape to Switzerland with Polish refugees in March 1944.

German forces caught him near the Italian border and sent him to Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, one of their most brutal death camps.

Guards split him from his family right away. An SS officer told the new prisoners, “You Jews, none of you will ever make it out of here alive.”

His parents Ferenc and Rosa and sister Edith died at Auschwitz. His brother Emery ended up at Mauthausen too.

Survival Skills Kept Him Alive in Hell

For fourteen months, young Tibor fought to stay alive amid hunger, sickness, cruel medical tests, and hard forced labor.

He got good at stealing food, looking through trash, and using smart medical tricks like putting maggots on infected wounds to clean them.

Tibor called himself the “Little Rat” and took pride in staying alive when others couldn’t. He watched helplessly as fellow prisoners died in gas chambers.

American Soldiers Changed His Life Forever

Troops from the U.S. Third Army’s 11th Armored Division freed Mauthausen on May 5, 1945. Fifteen-year-old Tibor weighed less than 80 pounds when freedom came.

His body showed marks of sickness and hunger, but he lived to see the camp gates open. The American soldiers showed him kindness after so much cruelty.

Their good treatment touched him deeply, and Tibor promised himself: “If the Lord helped me go to America, I’d join the Army.”

He Failed Army Tests Twice But Never Gave Up

Tibor got to New York City in 1948 on the SS Marine Flasher. He worked as a shoemaker and later a butcher while trying to learn English.

His dream of joining the Army hit a snag when he failed the entrance test twice in 1949 because he couldn’t understand the questions.

But Tibor wouldn’t quit.

On his third try in 1950, other test-takers helped him. The Army put him in Company I, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division even though he wasn’t yet a U.S. citizen.

His Sergeant Tried to Get Him Killed

When Tibor reached the Korean War front lines in February 1950, he met Master Sergeant Arthur Peyton.

The sergeant was a mean antisemite who sent Tibor on the most dangerous missions hoping he would die.

“He used to call me such bad names that I forgot my name was Tibor Rubin,” Tibor later said. Despite this abuse and the deadly missions, Tibor never refused an assignment.

His thanks to America ran too deep to complain, even when facing hate.

One Man Held Off an Entire Enemy Force

On July 23, 1950, during the retreat to the Pusan Perimeter, Tibor got an impossible job: hold open the key Taegu-Pusan Road link by himself.

For 24 straight hours, he faced wave after wave of North Korean troops.

Tibor ran between different foxholes, throwing grenades and firing weapons to trick the enemy into thinking many soldiers defended the hill.

His clever tricks worked. He killed so many attackers that the North Koreans couldn’t break through, letting the 8th Cavalry Regiment finish its withdrawal safely.

Hundreds of Enemy Soldiers Surrendered to Him

After the breakout from the Pusan Perimeter, Tibor joined the push north into North Korea. During this advance, he helped capture several hundred North Korean soldiers.

His sergeant kept giving him dangerous scouting and patrol missions, but Tibor finished each one without complaint.

During one mission, he saved Corporal Leonard Hamm’s life by crawling through sniper fire to reach his wounded friend.

His bravery under fire became famous among those who served with him.

The Night When Chinese Forces Surrounded His Unit

A huge Chinese attack hit the 8th Cavalry Regiment at Unsan, North Korea on October 30, 1950. When three machine gunners fell, Tibor took over their .30 caliber weapon.

He stayed at his post through the night and into the next day, firing until he ran out of bullets. His strong stand bought time for others to escape the Chinese trap.

Badly wounded and unable to retreat, Chinese forces caught him. His last stand let many of his fellow soldiers escape certain death.

He Refused Freedom to Stay With His Fellow POWs

The Chinese offered to send Tibor to Communist Hungary because of his Hungarian birth. This meant freedom from the brutal POW camp, but Tibor refused.

“My English wasn’t so good, but I told them I’d have to go with the POWs. I wouldn’t leave without them because I had my brothers there,” he explained later.

For thirty months, he suffered harsh conditions in Chinese camps known as “Death Valley” and Camp 5. Though not yet an American citizen, he showed utmost loyalty.

The Camp Survivor Became a Lifesaver Again

Tibor used the survival skills he learned at Mauthausen to keep his fellow prisoners alive.

Almost every night, he snuck out of the camp to steal food from Chinese storehouses, knowing he faced torture or execution if caught.

He treated sick prisoners using creative methods like maggot therapy for infected wounds, made medicine from goat dung, and created soup from grass.

His brave actions saved at least 40 American soldiers who would have died without his help. Once again, the camp survivor became the savior.

Justice Came 55 Years After His Heroic Acts

After his release in a prisoner exchange on April 20, 1953, Tibor’s commanding officers recommended him for the Medal of Honor four times.

Sergeant Peyton deliberately ignored orders to submit the paperwork, blocking Tibor’s recognition because of antisemitism.

A 1993 Army study on racial discrimination finally brought attention to his case. Surviving comrades submitted sworn statements about Peyton’s prejudice and Tibor’s heroism.

On September 23, 2005, President George W. Bush placed the Medal of Honor around 76-year-old Tibor Rubin’s neck during a White House ceremony.

Visiting Tibor Ruben artifacts at National Medal of Honor Museum

You can explore Tibor Ruben artifacts at the National Medal of Honor Museum at 1861 AT&T Way in Arlington, Texas. The museum opens daily from 10am to 5pm.

Active-duty military get free admission with Military ID, and veterans receive discounted tickets with Veteran ID. Kids 6 and under enter free.

Buy tickets ahead of time for immersive experiences and VIP tours since they fill up quickly.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• The Apache leader who made Fort Davis Buffalo Soldiers fight their most brutal Texas campaign
• How Lyndon B. Johnson turned his cattle ranch into America’s unofficial White House with BBQ diplomacy
• How one WWII battleship’s crew flooded their own ship to keep killing Germans beyond their gun range