Mr. Shmuck, the Hero

A hero finally receives recognition:

A soldier who risks his life, time and again, to save his compatriots, is likely to be recommended for the Medal of Honor. And, in fact, Holocaust survivor and Korean veteran, Tibor Rubin, was. Several times. His actions

... earned him four recommendations for the Medal of Honor by his commanding officers or fellow soldiers, two times for the Distinguished Service Cross, and twice for the Silver Star.

He held a hill while the rest of his unit retreated. He was captured and imprisoned. He risked his life to obtain extra food for his fellow prisoners. And he continued to encourage and support them to the extent that

Survivors of the camp credited Rubin with keeping 35 to 40 people alive, and recommended him for the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star.

And finally, on September 23rd, 2005, he will receive the Medal of Honor.

Why did it take so long? There is strong evidence that his sergeant was anti-Semitic and refused to forward the recommendations. But that doesn't explain the delay since the 1980s, when The Pentagon reopened many similar cases.

For the full story of what kept him from receiving the Medal of Honor earlier, see this. [h/t to SC]

... ex-Cpl. Rubin is deeply impressed that high brass now address him as “Mister” or “Sir” and that he will have an escort of a major and a master sergeant on his way to Washington.

... When Rubin was interviewed three years ago, he [said], “I want this recognition for my Jewish brothers and sisters. I want the goyim to know that there were Jews over there, that there was a little greenhorn, a little shmuck from Hungary, who fought for their beloved country.”

Times have changed.

“Now,” Rubin said with a self-deprecating laugh, “It’s Mister Shmuck, the hero.”