Veteran's History Project

The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

Thomas J. Roberts (Tom) had graduated from High School in Burlington, WI in 1967. He was trying to learn the trade of being a printer and working with photography. He was working for the people who managed the Burlington newspaper and had been with the firm over two years.

Tom was a serious minded young man who had a solid spiritual core. For some time he had some thoughts of entering a monastery order but concluded that it might appear to some that he was motivated by a desire to sidestep military duty. Though deeply troubled by many aspects of the war in Vietnam, as lots of young men are, he decided to enlist rather than be drafted.

Tom did not want to carry a weapon or kill any one, though he felt a patriotic responsibility to his Country. Still, he didn't want the label of being a "conscientious objector". His draft notice stated he was going to be inducted on the 1st of August 1969. Tommy enlisted on 31 July that same year. He wanted to have the opportunity to serve as a medic.

Basic training for this young man was taken at Fort Campbell, KY. This is the home base of the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army. Tom showed a lot of promise as a recruit. He was somewhat older than the other recruits and had noticed as one having a lot of promise for the Army. The basic training command and NCO's encouraged him to get into Officer Candidate School (OCS). Tom was adamant that he did not want to lead men into battle where killing others was part of the job description.

Tom was sent on to Fort Sam Houston, TX where he would learn to be a Combat Medic. Following a ten week training curriculum, Tom graduated and received his assignment to the 196th Light Infantry Brigade (Americal Brigade). Following some leave time at home, Tom left for Southeast Asia on 8 Jan 1970.

On arrival and locating the Division he was to serve with, Tom settled into the life and situation before him. He went on lots of search and destroy missions as his skills were required. He remained close to the med-evac helicopters as well.

The 196th Light Infantry Brigade ran its operations out of Hiep Duc in LZ West. While out on a search and destroy" mission, Tom's patrol came under attack. He received shrapnel injuries that required hospitalization. The concussion from the blast was strong enough to blow the Alice pack from his back. He recovered from the wounds and returned to duty soon.

When time allowed, Tom volunteered for the Command Assistance Program. In addition to his normal duties, he devoted extra time and effort going to remote Vietnamese villages to help people in need. Humanitarian assistance and serving others first was just part of his nature.

Tom was concerned that his folks might worry too much about him. He asked his folks to pray for peace and for the boys in his unit. Tom felt it was his duty to give them as much of his own strength as possible.

Tom had a "not-so-good" habit of leaving his rifle behind. Although it was required that he have the weapon, he often left it behind so he could carry more supplies needed to care for the injured.

Tom wrote "you know, I really don't believe the world is a sinking ship. It's just a big log raft bumping into the rocks and spinning around the whirlpool and eddies from the rocks on its way downstream. A log raft is almost impossible to steer especially in those wild, raging waters of humanity. I believe we are destined to reach calmer waters further downstream and maybe our big log raft will reach a Sea of Tranquility. We need to do our best to keep it from being lodged in the rocks or possibly even smashed to pieces through our carelessness. I believe we've got a great raft. All we have to do is keep the crew pulling together."

In one of the last letters that he sent home to his parents, he wrote about Kurt Vonnegut's words: "God made mud. God got lonesome. So God said to some of the mud, "Sit up!" "See all I've made," said God, "the hills, the sea, the sky, the stars." And I was some of the mud that got to sit up and look around. Lucky me, lucky mud. I, mud, sat up and saw what a nice job God had done. Nice going, God. Nobody but you could have done it, God! I certainly couldn't have. I feel very unimportant compared to You.

The only way I can feel the least bit important is to think of all the mud that didn't even get to sit up and look around. I got so much, and most mud got so little. Thank you for the honor!

Now mud lies down again and goes to sleep. What memories for mud to have! What interesting other kinds of sitting-up mud I met! I loved everything I saw! Good night. I will go to heaven now. I can hardly wait... "

On August 22nd, 1970, while with his troops in battle, Tom was killed by enemy gunfire. This young man, who believed in peace with all his heart was gone forever.

Tom earned the Bronze Star, The Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Ribbon. Tom earned the Combat Medic Badge and the Marksman Badge.

Cousin and Corporal Tom Roberts, you were a remarkable young man. Thank you for your service.

"Above all, Vietnam was a war that asked everything of a few and nothing of most in America." Myra MacPherson, 1984, author of "Long Time Passing: Vietnam and the Haunted Generation"

Over 58,000 Americans died in Vietnam, some 20,000 of these were fathers when they were killed or declared MIA (missing in action), credit: Vietnam Magazine, Vol. 23 No. 3, October 2010

http://www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty-statistics.html" \t "_blank" Statistical information about casualties of the Vietnam War