Museum Honors Tibor Rubin

Medal of Honor Recipient Tibor Rubin, who settled in Long Beach after the Korean War, is honored at the National Medal of Honor Museum (NMOHM) in Arlington, TX. His freestanding island exhibit traces the full arc of his life, from before he earned the Medal of Honor to his continued service in civilian life.

On view since the museum’s grand opening in March 2025, Rubin’s exhibit is part of a broader effort to present the life stories of Medal of Honor Recipients. Through personal materials, images, and storytelling, each exhibit highlights the values and choices that shaped these extraordinary Americans across their lifetimes.

Rubin’s exhibit features letters he wrote to his family while he was in captivity and an address book of his fellow prisoners of war. The inclusion of these personal artifacts helps tell the full life stories of the featured Medal of Honor Recipients.

“The Medal of Honor embodies the values of courage, sacrifice, commitment, integrity, and patriotism. As visitors would find through Medal of Honor Recipients’ life stories featured in the museum’s biographical exhibits, these ideals extend beyond the military and are carried through a lifetime of service and leadership,” says NMOHM CEO and President Chris Cassidy.

“The purpose of these installations are not only to honor America’s heroes and preserve their stories, but to also carry forward their legacies and help visitors – especially younger generations – have a deeper appreciation for how these values can guide their everyday lives.”

One of those legacies belongs to Long Beach’s own Corporal Tibor Rubin.

Tibor “Teddy” Rubin was a Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor who immigrated to the United States after World War II. He first settled in New York where he worked as a butcher. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1950 and was deployed to Korea, distinguishing himself through extraordinary courage on the battlefield and in a POW camp from July 1950 to 1953. Under orders to cover his unit’s withdrawal to the Pusan Perimeter, Rubin single-handedly defended a hill for 24 hours, inflicting heavy casualties to the enemy and allowing his regiment to escape.

On Oct. 30, 1950, during a massive nighttime assault against his unit at Unsan, North Korea, he manned a machinegun through waves of attack until he was wounded and captured. As a prisoner of war, Rubin refused repatriation to Hungary and instead risked his life nightly, sneaking out to steal food and medicine for his comrades. His commitment and willingness to put his life on the line to serve his fellow prisoners helped save as many as 40 POWs.

Following his military service, Rubin settled in California and worked in his brother’s liquor store in Long Beach, where he would later become a partner in the business.

Despite his valor, his Medal of Honor was delayed for decades due to antisemitism within his chain of command. President George W. Bush awarded Rubin the Medal of Honor in 2005, recognizing his gallantry in combat and dedication to his comrades.

To honor him, the Long Beach VA Hospital was renamed Tibor Rubin VA Hospital in 2017.

Museum visitors can view Rubin’s exhibit and other installations telling the stories of his fellow Medal of Honor recipients at the National Medal of Honor Museum, where the lives of ordinary Americans who demonstrated extraordinary courage in service to others are brought to life. A visit to the museum is a meaningful, immersive experience that will leave visitors from all walks of life inspired, proud, and deeply connected to the values that unite us.

For more details and to reserve tickets for your preferred date and time, visit mohmuseum.org.