Eurípides Rubio
Captain Eurípides Rubio (March 1, 1938 – November 8, 1966) was a United States Army officer from Puerto Rico and a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions in the Vietnam War. He was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, where he completed his schooling and took part in the Civil Air Patrol before attending the University of Puerto Rico and joining Army ROTC. He became a commissioned officer in the Military Police Corps at Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico.
On November 8, 1966, during Operation Attleboro in Tay Ninh Province, Rubio’s company came under heavy attack. He left his post under fierce fire, was wounded twice, and then a third time while helping the wounded and trying to rebuild defenses. He briefly took command after a rifle company commander was evacuated and continued to encourage and lead his men.
While helping evacuate the wounded, Rubio saw a smoke grenade that could mark the enemy position for air strikes was dangerously close to friendly lines. He ran through heavy fire to move the grenade and, after it started smoking, picked it up again and ran to within about 20 meters of the enemy to throw it into their position. The grenade’s marker allowed friendly air strikes to hit the enemy, and Rubio fell from his wounds.
His heroic actions helped turn the battle. Rubio was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in 1968. He is buried at the Puerto Rico National Cemetery in Bayamón.
Rubio is remembered through various honors, including a U.S. Army Reserve Center named for him in San Juan, a Veterans Affairs clinic in Ponce, and a Congressional-style recognition in the Monumento de la Recordación in San Juan. His name appears on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and in 2008 a portrait was unveiled in Puerto Rico’s Capitol. In 2017, he was inducted into the Puerto Rico Veterans Hall of Fame.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 14:21 (CET).