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Single Handed: The Inspiring True Story of Tibor "Teddy" Rubin--Holocaust Survivor, Korean War Hero, and Medal of Honor Recipient

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From a World War II concentration camp to the Korean War to the White House, this is the incredible story of Tibor “Teddy” Rubin, the only Holocaust survivor ever to receive a Medal of Honor...

In 1944, a thirteen-year-old Hungarian boy named Tibor Rubin was captured by the Nazis and sent to the notorious Mauthausen concentration camp. The teenager endured its horrors for more than a year. After surviving the Holocaust, he arrived penniless in America, barely speaking English.

In 1950, Tibor volunteered for service in the Korean War. After acts of heroism that included single-handedly defending a hill against an onslaught of enemy soldiers, braving sniper fire to rescue a wounded comrade, and commandeering a machine gun after its crew was killed, he was captured. As a POW, Tibor called on his experience in Mauthausen to help fellow GIs survive two and half years of captivity.

Tibor returned from Korea in 1953, but it wasn’t until 2005—at age 76—that he was invited to the White House, where he received the Medal of Honor from President George W. Bush. It had taken over half a century for Tibor’s adopted homeland to recognize this Jewish immigrant for acts of valor that went “beyond the call of duty.” But when it did, the former Hungarian refugee became the only survivor of the Holocaust to have earned America’s highest military distinction.

Drawing on eyewitness accounts and extensive interviews, author Daniel M. Cohen presents the inspiring story of Tibor “Teddy” Rubin for the first time in its entirety and gives us a stirring portrait of a true hero.

INCLUDES PHOTOS

441 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 5, 2015

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Daniel M. Cohen

6 books2 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
Profile Image for Julia.
2,041 reviews58 followers
June 15, 2015
Tibor Rubin was born in Hungary, was a teen in Mauthausen, and released by Patton’s 11th Army. His brother and sisters also survived, and with his brother and one sister, he lived for three years in a DP camp in Germany. He immigrated to America, and as soon as he could he signed up to be in the Army.

He was sent to Korea. He had an anti- Semitic master sergeant who wanted him dead and assigned him every dangerous duty. On two occasions officers said his actions should get him Medals of Honor. The officers died quickly and the master sergeant ‘forgot.’ And so did the US Army for 55 years.

In one battle he defended a mountain of ammunition against an assault by overwhelming numbers of North Korean soldiers, when he was alone. During another battle he manned a machine gun after three previous gunners had died, until he ran out of ammunition, allowing the remnants of his unit to retreat. Wounded, he was captured by the Chinese.

Then Rubin was put in a Chinese POW camp, where his experiences at Mauthausen, kept him and many other men there alive. The Chinese tried to send him back to Hungary, but he knew the soldiers in Camp 5 needed him, and he didn’t want to go back to Hungary, in spite of the fact that he was not yet an American citizen.

There were two fellow soldiers who championed Rubin getting a Medal of Honor. One was in the POW camp with Rubin. The other was the other master sergeant in Rubin’s unit, who lives in Rotterdam Junction, twenty miles away from me.

This is an exciting book that I could not put down. We live in a better world for having had Tibor Rubin in it. I haven’t seen or read Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption or The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, yet, but it’s hard to imagine that this isn’t at least as exciting.

I borrowed this from my local public library, the same day President Obama finally gave a Medal of Honor to Henry Johnson, of Albany, and I thought it was this Jewish soldier, but it was another Jewish soldier. (It was William Shemin, who, like Johnson, served in World War I.)
1 review
May 25, 2015
A well written biography about an extraordinary man, Tibor Rubin. Daniel Cohen has given us an exciting and riveting memoir of a truly remarkable man of valor. Tibor Rubin's inspirational story should be known and shared.
Profile Image for Shane Gower.
Author 2 books7 followers
July 8, 2023
I read this in preparation for a summer seminar on the Cold War coming up and it’s amazing! Not only a story of courage and the Medal of Honor, it’s also a story of life in a POW camp and th effects of anti-semitism. It would make a wonderful TV series!
Profile Image for Julia.
2,041 reviews58 followers
June 15, 2015
Tibor Rubin was born in Hungary, was a teen in Mauthausen, when he was released by Patton’s 11th Army. His brother and sisters also survived, and with his brother and one sister, he lived for three years in a DP camp in Germany. He immigrated to America, and as soon as he could he signed up to be in the Army.

He was sent to Korea. He had an anti- Semitic master sergeant who wanted him dead and assigned him every dangerous duty. On two occasions officers said his actions should get him Medals of Honor. One officer died quickly, the other died in a POW camp and the master sergeant ‘forgot.’ And so did the US Army for 55 years.

In one battle he defended a mountain of ammunition against an assault by overwhelming numbers of North Korean soldiers, when he was alone. During another battle he manned a machine gun after three previous gunners had died, until he ran out of ammunition, allowing the remnants of his unit to retreat. Wounded, he was captured by the Chinese.

Then Rubin was put in a Chinese POW camp, where his experiences at Mauthausen, kept him and many other men there alive. The Chinese tried to send him back to Hungary, but he knew the soldiers in Camp 5 needed him, and he didn’t want to go back to Hungary, in spite of the fact that he was not yet an American citizen.

There were two fellow soldiers who championed Rubin getting a Medal of Honor. One was in the POW camp with Rubin. The other was the other master sergeant in Rubin’s unit, who lives twenty miles away from me in Upstate New York.

This is an exciting book that I could not put down. We live in a better world for having had Tibor Rubin in it. I haven’t seen or read Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption or The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, yet, but it’s hard to imagine that this isn’t at least as exciting.

I borrowed this from my local public library, the same day President Obama finally gave a Medal of Honor to Henry Johnson, of Albany, and I thought it was this Jewish soldier, but it was another Jewish soldier. (It was William Shemin, who, like Johnson, served in World War I.)
Profile Image for Erica.
83 reviews9 followers
June 7, 2015
Dan Cohen has rendered a remarkable service by telling the inspiring story of Tibor/Teddy Rubin. So many war veterans owed their lives to Rubin's fearlessness, selflessness and extreme bravery. A wonderful biography of an extraordinary man.
1 review
May 31, 2015
Inspiring, exciting, and well crafted story of survival. Wow, what a life Tibor Rubin had!
I hope there are other books coming soon from Daniel Cohen.
Profile Image for Sharon Foust.
146 reviews8 followers
November 16, 2020
Tibor "Teddy" Rubin is a true American hero! His story is so incredible you almost think it has to be made up. But he lived every minute of it. As a Jewish boy growing up in a Hungarian village an hour or more outside Budapest he is 9 when WWII begins. He has just had his Bar Mitzvah at 13 when WWII finally comes to his village of Paszto. His parents send Tibor west with some other older Polish Jewish men who are trying to escape the Nazis. They almost succeed in crossing Hungary & Austria, but are caught at the Austrian-Swiss border and sent to the Mauthausen Concentration Camp. There he is reunited with his brother who has been captured also from serving in the Hungarian Resistance. They survive the punishing labor the Germans require of them until the war ends, and upon return to his home Tibor learns his parents have not survived. Having nothing left in Hungary, Tibor goes to a refugee camp where his brother & he come to America. After working in NYC for a couple years the Korean War begins. Tibor tries to enlist and cannot because he is not proficient in English. He takes English lessons and a year later tries to enlist again and is accepted. He is sent to Korea where he proves himself a hero many times! Twice he saved his whole company and brigade or more by single-handedly holding off North Korean soldiers. His Anti-Semetic sergeant has given him these orders to stay behind to cover retreat thinking Tibor would be killed. Both times he succeeds & his company commanders say they are going to recommend him for the Congressional Medal of Honor, and both times his Anti-Semetic sergeant refuses to send to the recommendation forward, after the commanders are both killed. Tibor is captured and is taken to a North Korean POW camp where he meets Father Kapaun. Tibor saves many lives in the camp by sneaking out into the Koreans' gardens in the night, stealing food that he shares with his comrades. He comes home at war's end and lives in California. He marries and works running a store for his brother. He has a fulfilled life and does not see any of his war buddies for decades. Finally when he does they ask him about getting the Medal of Honor and he says he did not get it. So, his comrades in arms work tirelessly to make sure he does finally receive it, most deservedly. Which he does when he is 76 in 2005 from President George W Bush. This just a remarkable story and to think that it all is true is just mind-boggling!
Profile Image for Tomi.
1,519 reviews7 followers
June 25, 2019
I read this book for a class project. I absolutely fell in love with the story and was enthralled until the very end. The only problem I have with the story is the writing. It's very choppy and people seemed to be introduced randomly. The story itself is a tale of one person overcoming absolutely horrendous odds and doing the right things to save other people's lives. I will be using this book in my classroom for many years to come. You will alternately weep, cheer, and curse as you read this story.
2,972 reviews
February 22, 2024
While I thought reading about Tibor and the hardships he successfully overcame throughout his life was interesting overall, I do not appreciate the fact that he sexually harassed a Chinese nurse during his time as a POW in Korea. I also do not appreciate the way the author portrayed the situation like it was a positive occurrence. Going through something as horrible as the Holocaust or war does not give ANY ONE the right to harass and hurt other people.
57 reviews
February 12, 2020
Thoroughly engrossing story of survival about a man who faced hate, cruelty and horrific conditions with incredible courage and humility. It truly is amazing that he even survived, but did so through his own quick intelligence and inner strength of character. He is an inspiration for all humanity.
Profile Image for Brandy.
10 reviews
August 4, 2018
Incredible

A story of an amazing man who defied the Nazis and the Chinese/North Koreans during the Korean War. While it shows a lot of humor and a “carefree side” of Mr. Rubin, it truly shows the amazing depth of character that everyone should strive to have.
Profile Image for Michelle.
23 reviews
August 20, 2019
Tibor Rubin is an incredibly brave and selfless man, and learning about his life and its enormous hardships has been so inspiring. I’m not a war or autobiography buff, but this book was well written and researched, accessible, very informative, and easy to read.
1 review
August 3, 2022
What an amazing retelling! How heroic! This man was nothing short of a real live super hero. He overcame so many obstacles, saved so many lives in so many ways, and remained humble to the end. Never losing his sense of humor. How I wished I could have met him. What a tale!
247 reviews
August 21, 2022
A true story-this man is so incredibly brave---the story of all that he went through in a German concentration camp than a Chinese camp--then the fight to get him Medal of Honor--which was difficult because he had a raciest commander in the Korean War--man just didn't like people that were Jewish
Profile Image for Trasa.
94 reviews1 follower
June 3, 2019
A wonderful book about the only Holocaust survivor to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Korean War. Truly an honor to read about Tibor "Teddy" Rubin.
Profile Image for Renée | apuzzledbooklover.
760 reviews52 followers
March 1, 2020
An incredible story of this man’s bravery, terrible hardships, and devotion to his fellow soldiers. Sad that it took so long for him to receive the recognition he deserved.
130 reviews
August 1, 2023
Amazing story. We could all be so lucky as to learn something from Tibor Rubin
Profile Image for Blue Morse.
218 reviews4 followers
October 9, 2019
Not sure how Teddy’s life has not been made into a movie by now! Fictitiously epic on the same level as Hillenbrand’s “Unbroken”
Profile Image for Relstuart.
1,248 reviews112 followers
December 30, 2015
A fascinating account of the life of Tibor Rubin. He was sent away by his family in an effort to escape Hungary before the holocaust took the family away. He was caught at the border and sent to a concentration camp. He was young enough that he managed to blend into the background a little bit and became adept at sneaking into the garbage to glean left over bits of food to survive. A couple of his siblings survived. They returned to Hungary for a brief time but their home was occupied by others and there was nothing for them left there. After some time in refugee camps they ended up getting approval to come to the USA. Rubin bounced from job to job and finally joined the army. He felt service in the army was a way he could pay America back for taking him and his family members in and for rescuing them from death in the concentration camps.

He served in Korea and saw significant combat. The MSgt in his unit disliked Jews and singled Rubin out for the most dangerous jobs and missions. Rubin was left guarding an ammo dump while the rest of the unit fell back. Transport was supposed to swing by before the day ended to pick up the cache. They never came but the enemy did and Rubin held an area with grenades and machine guns for hours blasting away in the dark at waves of attacking enemy troops. Had his position fallen the road behind him being used by retreating troops could have been cut off and troops cut off from their retreat. The next day when other members of his unit arrived where he made his stand they saw dozens of enemies dead around his position.

Rubin, along with other members of his unit, was captured by the Chinese and endured two years as a POW. He utilized his skills from the concentration camp to survive the Chinese too. When he was finally repatriated to the USA he got out of the Army and became a bit of a gadfly for a while living a merry life until he finally met a girl and settled down. He gained his American citizenship and went on with a rather ordinary life never really talking about his military experience. However, as he grew older in the 80s he met a few of his fellow service members. They remembered his service with awe and asked to see his medals, specifically they wanted to know what happened to his Medal of Honor package? Two commanders stated they were going to recommend him for the Medal of Honor but the packages were never submitted. One because the commander was killed and also because the MSgt didn't prepare anything even when ordered because Rubin was Jewish.

55 years after Korea, after a long letter writing campaign from Rubin supporters, President Bush awarded Rubin the medal of honor for his heroic actions in Korea.
Profile Image for Louis Spirito.
Author 1 book2 followers
July 5, 2015
Imagine you're a 13-year old Jewish boy forced to flee your home in Hungary to avoid being taken by the Nazis. Only miles from the Swiss border, you're captured and sent to the dreaded Mauthausen concentration camp where a single misstep - a defiant look, a botched work assignment, a single louse in your hair - could mean instant execution. Through guile, courage and luck, you survive the Holocaust and make your way to America. While other young
refugees are busy milking the opportunities in their new homeland, you do the unthinkable and enlist in the U.S. Army where you volunteer to fight the communists in Korea. The enemy is fierce but the greatest danger lies in the bigotry of a redneck U.S. Sergeant who continually puts you in harms way because you're a Jew. Fighting valiantly to save yourself and your fellow soldiers, your bravery will earn the praise of commanding officers who twice recommend you for the Medal of Honor - an award you'll be denied fore another 50 years.

There's no need to 'imagine' any such story. Tibor 'Teddy' Rubin lived it all, and Daniel M. Cohen brings his remarkable journey to light in his riveting new book, SINGLE HANDED(Penguin). In his brilliant recounting of Tibor's amazing odyssey, Cohen offers such vibrant detail and moving emotion that we can almost feel the terror and utter deprivation of of the Nazi death camp, and the numbing cold and carnage of the bloody Korean battlefield. What stands out amid the horror and struggle , though, is the indefatigable, upbeat spirit of the spritely little Hungarian who went far, far above the call of duty, continually placing himself in harm's way for the sake of his fellow prisoners and soldiers, only to see his bravery and sacrifice ignored by the country he loved and fought for. Painstakingly researched and drawn from hours of interviews with Rubin, his relatives and friends, SINGLE HANDED gives us a life-affirming portrait of a caring, humble, remarkable man whose life defines the terms 'hero' and 'patriot'.
Profile Image for Aaron Lozano.
260 reviews
March 15, 2016
Wow. This story runs the gamut for anyone who served. Proud to have been a part of the legacy of the US Army that men like Rubin forged before me. Ashamed of our country's continued lack of meaningful support of it's Veterans. All of it's Veteran's. It made me recall the good times, marvel at the bad times I was fortunate to have missed, and to remember the men and women I served alongside. Some of whom are doing just fine, some of whom are struggling mightily. It made me think of my Dad, a shining example of the best this country has to offer. Mostly, it made me think of Rubin and his amazing accomplishments. It made me admire his will to stay alive in order to keep others alive. His actual altruism in the face of death cannot be quantified. An immigrant (gasp!) who did more for this country and it's people than anyone who might happen upon this review. A must read, not because of the author, but because of his subject.
Profile Image for Bobbi Toner.
1 review
August 20, 2015
I was so moved by this exceptional book of valor and courage. Ted Rubin is a real hero and after 55 years received the Congressional Medal of Honor. The book tells about the wonderful life of the bravest man. Everyone should read this book - it is so inspiring. I could not put it down. He never wanted any medals or glory, he just wanted to help others. And saved so many lives as a POW in Korea. Because he was Jewish, and there was so much prejudice, he took a miracle for him to finally receive the Nations highest medal. Daniel Cowen's research into this hero was excellent. I spent a bit of time crying. This book shows how much prejudice there was in the military.
1 review
October 15, 2015
I could not put the book down; it was well written about a hero's hero, Tibor "Ted" Rubin.............everybody tried to kill Mr. Rubin, the Germans, the bigoted American, the North Koreans, and the Chinese. Not only did Mr. Rubin survive, but he excelled in each case.He rose to each challenge. The biography not only describes his heroic accomplishments, but demonstrates his will to live, and to help those in need, time after time. ..The inner strength and goodness of this man is beyond belief.
Profile Image for Donna Lewis.
1,579 reviews27 followers
January 1, 2016
A remarkable book! This incredible story of a Hungarian Jew who managed to live through incarceration in a Nazi prison camp only to end up in the United States Army headed to Korea. A humble, resourceful, brave hero who waited some 50 years for a deserved recognition from his US government. He earned the respect and admiration of his fellow soldiers, and did not begrudge the delay in his final award.
Profile Image for J. Gibson.
33 reviews1 follower
July 3, 2016
This books gives an in depth look at the inspiring life of Tibor Rubin and demonstrates his indomitable character through vignettes of his life in internment, on the battlefield, and on his journey in pursuit of the Medal of Honor. This book is filled with nearly unbelievable acts of heroics and lovable characters that flesh out the incredible life he led. More importantly, this book captures the selfless spirit of service that our country so desperately needs to reclaim.
33 reviews
December 29, 2016
This was one of my favorite books to read. I fell in love with Tibor (Teddy Rubin), who grew up in Hungary. He learned how to survive in a concentration camp during his teenage years, so when he became a POW during the Korean War, he took what he learned at the concentration camp to help keep himself and fellow POW's alive. He survived such hardship, but kept his sense of humor. This is such an inspiring book. You will fall in love with Teddy too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews

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