Gordon Ray Roberts

Colonel Gordon Ray Roberts is a retired United States Army officer who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action during the Vietnam War. On July 11, 1969, while serving as an infantryman and rifleman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, Roberts distinguished himself during combat operations against heavily fortified enemy bunker positions.

During the engagement, Roberts' platoon was immobilized by intense automatic weapons and grenade fire from camouflaged bunkers. Seeing his unit in danger, he single-handedly charged and silenced multiple enemy bunkers under heavy fire. After his rifle was shot from his hands during the assault on a second bunker, he picked up a fallen comrade's weapon to continue his attack, ultimately destroying a third bunker with hand grenades and assaulting a fourth enemy emplacement.

After cut off from his platoon, Roberts joined an adjoining friendly company and continually exposed himself to hostile fire to help evacuate wounded soldiers to safety. His extraordinary heroism and selfless actions directly saved lives and inspired his fellow soldiers to defeat the enemy force. He later continued his military career, eventually retiring at the rank of Colonel.