Corporal Roberts was a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by an enemy missile in North Korea on 14 October 1952 and returned to duty on 18 October 1952. He was listed as Missing in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 26 October 1952. He was presumed dead on 31 December 1953. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Roberts was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, 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.