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"We don't know them all, but we owe them all."
Remembering our Heroes
As we honor the sacrifices of our brave men and women this Memorial Day, we reflect on stories of courage and resilience that define our nation’s history. Among these, is the remarkable, yet largely unknown, story of Tibor Rubin. Rubin’s amazing story is the perfect reminder of why we celebrate this weekend and the impact one person can have on the lives of many. It is also a lesson in why we should be thankful for those who gave everything so we can do just about anything.
Tibor Rubin was born in Hungary in 1929, into a loving Jewish family. Life was good in his early life until the horrors of World War II shattered this. Amid rampant anti-Semitism, Rubin and his family were forced into a concentration camp. Amazingly, Rubin survived the unimaginable when liberated by the U.S. armed forces. Tragically, his family did not. It was in this moment of liberation Rubin made a solemn vow: if he ever reached America, he would become a "G.I. Joe" to honor those who had freed him.
By 1950, Rubin had fulfilled his self-promise, joining the U.S. Army just as the Korean War erupted. Despite his commitment to the army and willingness to serve, Rubin quickly faced prejudice from his own ranks. His sergeant, when discovering Rubin's Jewish heritage, assigned him to the most dangerous assignments, hoping to see him fail. On one of these assignments, Rubin was left alone on a desolate hill, expected to hold the line by himself against a North Korean assault as his company retreated to safer ground. Rubin prepared by spreading out his weapons and ammunition among the abandoned foxholes, waiting for the American troops to come back to relieve him as his commander had promised. For over 24 hours Rubin single-handedly defended his hill, incapacitating a staggering number of the enemy, holding their advance to a stand-still and allowing his company to retreat to safety. The promise of relief for Tibor Rubin never arrived.
After a few days Rubin realized no one was coming to get him and he walked back down the mountain alone, through a sea of dead bodies, returning to his company and tormenting sergeant. For months the sergeant continued to send him on impossible missions and Rubin performed his duties brilliantly. Each time the sergeant withheld any commendations for Rubin. Fellow soldiers later said that Rubin's sergeant “was an anti-Semite who gave Rubin dangerous assignments in hopes of getting him killed.”
Rubin's ordeal didn't end there. Severely wounded, he was captured and held in a Chinese POW camp for 30 months. Despite his capturers’ offers to return him to his home country of Hungary, Rubin chose to stay in the POW camp with his fellow American comrades. For the second time in his life, Rubin found himself in a prison camp. He used his experiences from the Nazi concentration camps to save the lives of his fellow prisoners. Although the world seemed against him, Rubin was always there when others needed him. He risked his life to steal food, provide essential medical care, and boost the morale of those around him.
Despite his incredible acts of heroism, Rubin went unrecognized for decades, repeatedly stymied by the very sergeant he suffered under. It wasn't until 2005, more than 50 years after the fact, that President George W. Bush awarded Rubin the Congressional Medal of Honor, acknowledging his extraordinary bravery and sacrifice!
On this Memorial Day, as we honor the fallen and celebrate the spirit of service, Tibor Rubin’s amazing story serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and the impact of commitment in our lives. Take a moment this weekend to pause and consider the inspiration of Rubin and countless others who act with courage, compassion, and an unending dedication to helping and serving those around us. Tibor Rubin understood leadership is not about being served, it is really about how we can serve others!
"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost."
– Arthur Ashe
Connecting this quote to the story. The quote captures the essence of Tibor Rubin’s journey and the broader significance of Memorial Day, the value of sacrifice, and the enduring impact of those who serve.
This week’s Chasing Influence tip: FOOT: Focus on others today.
If you enjoyed this story, a series of three Chasing Influence workbooks is available. Stories are accompanied by discussion questions and answers. Each workbook contains 33 lessons to use with any team.
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©Troy Urdahl, 2024