Korean War veteran honored at Offutt Air Force Base ceremony

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - A special honor was presented Tuesday to a Korean War veteran who continued to serve and protect the community after returning home from overseas.

Offutt Air Force Base hosted the ceremony for United States Marine Corps veteran Cpl. Rex Gruber. The Union, Nebraska native is also a retired captain with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.

Gruber enlisted in the Marine Corps when he was 17 years old in 1948 and was deployed to the Korean Peninsula. He was wounded three times in battle — including being shot twice — and later received two Purple Hearts.

To honor his sacrifice, he was presented with a Korean flag from a Republic of Korea colonel.

“I was really surprised and it really made my heart happy, but it made me sad. You know, because when they was talking about me in Korea and what I know, I was just one of the part of the people in Korea,” Gruber said.

Gruber praised the medical staff at the VA for taking care of him and helping him work through his PTSD so that he can now talk about his war experiences.

The Marine Corps is also celebrating its 250th anniversary, a legacy Gruber is proud to have played a small part in.

“250 years. It amazes you, doesn’t it? Yeah. I’m really proud to be in the Marines. There’s not too many Marines around at my age anymore,” Gruber said.