Terry Roberts

Terry Roberts was born in Tama to a Meskwaki family. As a young boy he was adopted and moved to Ottumwa, where he lived for 12 years of his life. He attended Evans Junior High School and enlisted in the Marine Corps before finishing school. Roberts completed his basic training in San Diego, CA and achieved the rank of Private First Class. Before being deployed overseas PFC Roberts came home on leave in October 1967. He arrived in Southeast Asia that November and was assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in the 1st Marine Division. PFC Roberts was proud of his Native American heritage and was affectionately nicknamed by his military comrades as the “Indian.” He was fatally wounded on December 20, 1967 while on a search and destroy operation in the Quang Nam Province. His wounds were inflicted by an enemy sniper. Roberts was 18 years old at the time of his death. His remains were returned to Iowa and buried at the Meskwaki Cemetery in Tama.