Airman First Class Roberts was a crew member of a C-54D Skymaster transport from the 4th Troop Carried Squadron, 62nd Troop Carried Wing. On 16 January 1951, while transporting personnel, the aircraft crashed into a hill near Taejon, Korea.

Roberts was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.