Corporal Harold W. Roberts was a soldier in the U.S. Army who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions on October 4, 1918 in Montrebeau Woods, France during World War I. At the time he was serving with Company A, 344th Battalion, Tank Corps. Roberts was 22 years old.
Roberts was killed in the action for which his medal was awarded. 3 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 15, 1919.
Roberts was born on October 14, 1895 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. He is buried at Meuse-Argonne Cemetery in Romagne Meuse, France.
Roberts is one of 132 Medal of Honor recipients from World War I and one of 142 credited to California.
Official Medal of Honor citation
Cpl. Roberts, a tank driver, was moving his tank into a clump of bushes to afford protection to another tank which had become disabled. The tank slid into a shell hole, 10 feet deep, filled with water, and was immediately submerged. Knowing that only one of the two men in the tank could escape, Cpl. Roberts said to the gunner, "Well only one of us can get out, and out you go," whereupon he pushed his companion through the back door of the tank and was himself drowned.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and death in action
- Killed in action during the act for which the medal was awarded (October 4, 1918).
- Cause of death: drowning
- Age at death: 22
- Resting place: Meuse-Argonne Cemetery
Cause and manner of death: Wikidata.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War I.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Education: Lick-Wilmerding High School
Source: Wikidata.
Places
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in California →
Timeline
- October 14, 1895Born in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California
- October 4, 1918Act of valor — Montrebeau Woods, FranceAge 22. Company A, 344th Battalion, Tank Corps Killed in action.
- April 15, 1919Medal of Honor presented posthumously
- Resting placeMeuse-Argonne CemeteryRomagne Meuse
Biography
Harold William Roberts (October 14, 1895 – October 6, 1918) was a United States Army corporal and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War I. Roberts, a tank driver, was moving his tank into a clump of bushes to afford protection to another tank which had become disabled. The tank slid into a shell hole, 10 feet deep, filled with water, and was immediately submerged. Knowing that only one of the two men in the tank could escape, Cpl. Roberts said to the gunner, "Well, only one of us can get out, and out you go," whereupon he pushed his companion through the back door of the tank and drowned.
From the Wikipedia article “Harold W. Roberts”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
