[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 179 (Thursday, December 10, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1762]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING CORPORAL TIBOR RUBIN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LORETTA SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 10, 2015

  Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, December 
5, 2015, the city of Garden Grove lost a genuine American hero when, 
Tibor ``Teddy'' Rubin, a Holocaust survivor and recipient of the 
Congressional Medal of Honor, passed away due to natural causes. He was 
86 years old.
  Corporal Rubin began his extraordinary life on June 18, 1929, in 
Pastzo. Hungary. His father served in the Hungarian Army and was a 
veteran of the First World War. When Corporal Rubin was only 14 years 
old he was sent to the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria. He 
survived the 14 months of captivity until his prison camp was liberated 
by American forces in May 1945. Tragically, his father, stepmother, and 
younger sister would perish.
  Corporal Rubin, immensely thankful for his liberation by American 
forces, wished to join the U.S. Army in order to repay the country that 
he felt he was so indebted to. After failing twice to enlist due to 
poor English, he was finally able to join in 1948 as a rifleman with I 
Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.
  Corporal Rubin's courage is made evident by his Medal of Honor 
citation. Corporal Rubin fought bravely and did everything to protect 
his brothers in arms. He distinguished himself on October 30, 1950, 
during a nighttime assault on his unit's position by an overwhelming 
Chinese force. Corporal Rubin manned a .30 caliber machine gun and 
fended off the assault until his ammunition was exhausted. Because of 
his valiant and selfless actions the Chinese assault was slowed and his 
unit was able to successfully escape the overwhelming enemy force. 
Corporal Rubin would be severely wounded and taken as a prisoner of 
war. He chose to remain a prisoner rather than taking a Chinese offer 
to be sent back to his native Hungary. Corporal Rubin risked torture 
and execution on multiple occasions in order to retrieve food and aid 
for his fellow imprisoned Soldiers. His horrific experience as a 
Holocaust survivor gave him the skills necessary to remain hopeful and 
keep himself and his comrades alive in a terrible situation.
  Unfortunately, because of an anti-Semitic superior, Corporal Rubin's 
courageous military service would go unrecognized for another 55 years. 
He would finally be awarded the Medal of Honor on September 23, 2005, 
for his heroic actions in the Korean peninsula.
  Corporal Rubin is survived by his wife, Yvonne, and his two children 
Frank and Rosalyn Rubin. He was a proud American and the kind of model 
citizen we should all strive to be. Corporal Rubin, despite everything 
he went through in life, preserved his optimism and his terrific sense 
of humor. His extraordinary immigrant story is an inspiration to us 
all. His passing is a great loss for our country, but his memory will 
forever live on.

                          ____________________