Private First Class Roberts was a member of the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 10 March 1951 and died of those wounds on 20 March 1951.

Roberts was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.