Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
6:20 | Gordon Roberts was walking point when the third man in line was dropped by enemy fire. Unfortunately, he was the M-60 machine gunner who usually supplied the suppressive fire, so it was up to Roberts who managed to find the bunker and fire through the port with his M-16. Then came the fire from the second bunker.
Keywords : Gordon Roberts Vietnam point man M-60 machine gun terrain masking anti-tank bunker AK-47 North Vietnamese Army (NVA) Harold Erickson China Beach replacement award ceremony Nick Nelson
Gordon Roberts was from a small town and the patriotic displays on national holidays made a big impression on him. His dream was to go to college, so he enlisted in the Army as soon as he graduated high school with the GI Bill in mind. He went through basic training and jump school at Fort Benning and, after a tour in Europe, was sent to the 101st Airborne in Vietnam.
Initial contact had been made with the enemy at a site known as Hamburger Hill. Two days after Gordon Roberts arrived in the A Shau Valley, the battle began to grow, and lasted ten days as a vast bunker complex was discovered and taken. The main lesson he took from this fight was to press hard after initial contact so the opposition can't set up and execute their plan.
After the hard fight at Hamburger Hill, Gordon Roberts moved to an artillery fire base to protect it for a few days, then it was back to search and destroy missions in the A Shau Valley. The aim was to interrupt the flow of supplies from North to South. He was fortunate in that there were no civilians in the remote area, so he did not have to try and separate friend from foe.
The call came in. Delta Company was in a Broken Arrow situation and could be completely destroyed, so a relief effort was assembled and they started climbing through rough terrain. Gordon Roberts was the point man when, all of a sudden, an unseen bunker erupted with fire. Finding himself alone, he moved forward toward the bunker, laying down suppressive fire of his own. When it was over, four bunkers were taken out by one man. Part 1 of 2.
After single-handedly taking out four bunkers, Gordon Roberts maneuvered around the battlefield under fire, bringing wounded and dead to a central spot that could be defended. Much later, after his Vietnam tour was over and he was at home on leave, a call came from Washington. He would be receiving the nation's highest honor. Part 2 of 2.
The bunkers were simply constructed but very strong. No weapon carried by the foot soldier could take them out. So when the firefight started, Gordon Roberts took advantage of return fire from his unit and flanked the bunker. Firing from the hip, he got to the portal and fired inside. Then it was on to the next one.
He had the Silver Star and the Bronze Star and was, unknown to him, under consideration for the Medal of Honor, but that didn't stop Gordon Roberts from being docked by the paymaster on his return to the States for some long ago Article 15 punishment. After 18 years pursuing a career, he returned to the Army.
