Born in 1921 in a small town in Texas named Burkburnett, he worked at any job he could get when he was a teen.

Roberts signed up for active duty June 4, 1942.

His first ship was a wooden tuna clipper put to use by the Navy as a supply vessel because of its size and the refrigeration that lined every part of the hull.  His first port of call was Pango Pango.  The clipper was full of fresh food and there was a military band sailing in with them in the convoy with three or four other ships. 

For the first few days the ocean sent them nothing but giant swells.  The men lashed themselves to their beds to keep from falling off . . . .  But after awhile the water smoothed to glass . . . .  One night, his captain called the other boats and they gathered around.  The band came up on deck, and there in middle of the Pacific, the band played.

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