In memory of Medal of Honor recipient Corporal Tibor Rubin

THE HERO

"Tibor "Ted" Rubin knows what it's like to slowly starve to death, how lice itch when crawling over skin and how giving up on life can seem easier than fighting for it. Nazi guards made sure Rubin understood despair at the age of 13. A Hungarian Jew, he was forced into the Mauthausen Concentration Camp toward the end of World War II. But Rubin defied odds: He survived. After the war he moved to New York, and eventually joined the same Army that liberated him from hell on earth.

From the horror of the Holocaust arose a bravery that few can match. Rubin went on to fight in the Korean War and was taken prisoner by the Chinese. This time, he breathed life into his fellow captives, who were dying at the rate of 40 a day in the winter of 1950-1951.

"I made a promise that I would go to the United States and join the Army to express my thanks," said Rubin. Three years later he arrived in New York. Two years after that he passed the English language test — after two attempts and with "more than a little help," he jokes — and joined the Army. He was shipped to the 29th Infantry Regiment in Okinawa. When the Korean War broke out, Rubin was summoned by his company commander. "The 29th Infantry Regiment is mobilizing. You are not a U.S. citizen so we can't take you — a lot of us are going to get killed. We'll send you to Japan or Germany," Rubin remembers being told.

"But I could not just leave my unit for some 'safe zone,'"Rubin said. "I was with these guys in basic training. Even though I wasn't a citizen yet, America was my country." Rubin got what he wanted and headed for Korea. Cpl. Tibor Rubin deployed to Korea on February 13, 1950 as a part of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.

“I always wanted to become a citizen of the United States and when I became a citizen it was one of the happiest days in my life...When I came to America, it was the first time I was free. It was one of the reasons I joined the U.S. Army because I wanted to show my appreciation.”

Rubin received the Prisoner of War Medal after being held as a POW in North Korea for 30 months and two Purple Hearts during his service.

Rubin died on December 5, 2015 at the age of 86 in Garden Grove, California. While Corporal Tibor Rubin did not die during the service of others for this Hero WOD, his incredible life story of sacrifice demands rememberance.

https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/rubin/?from=features

WORKOUT NOTES & MODIFICATIONS

This is a two part workout: the first is a 40-minute AMRAP and the second part is a 20-minute ruck. For an hour, this is a true overall sufferfest, as it should be. Pace yourself for the lower-body crush.

To modify the workout, this may be completed as a bodyweight workout, or you can just incorporate your ruck as you'd like during the workout.

For the 20-minute finisher ruck, pace accordingly while also pushing yourself. Nothing about this workout should feel easy.

THE WORKOUT:

40-Min AMRAP + 20-Min Ruck

• 12 x Ruck Overhead Squats
• 12 x Ruck Deadlifts
• 12 x Ruck Bear Crawl Drags
• 12 x Mountain Climbers
• 12 x Ruck Lateral Lunges HARD COUNT

Finisher: 20-Min Ruck

This Hero WOD is a PATHFINDER Ruck Training original workout.