Chuck’s tragic death was ruled “accidental”. This Oregon City youth was involved in track and wrestling in his high school career.
Date of birth: 31 December 1945 Date of casualty: 9 November 1966 Home of record: Oregon City, Oregon Branch and Rank: Marine Corps, Private First Class, Rifleman Unit: 3rd Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, I Company Awards: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal Location of name on the Vietnam Wall: 12E, 47
Location of service: South Vietnam, Quang Tri province Accidental death via grenade detonation.
Schools Attended: Oregon City High School Burial location: Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Oregon Memorials: Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Washington, DC), Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Portland), Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Portland), Oregon City High School Memorial Garden
Enterprise Courier, Oregon City OR, November 14, 1966 Local Man Claimed Charles LeRoy Roberts, 20, son of Mrs. Marjorie Roberts, Oregon City and Roy Roberts, Albany, was killed by a grenade in Viet Nam 9 Nov, while in a defensive position with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, I Co., 2nd Platoon. Pfc. Roberts had lived in Oregon City for the past 10 years. He was a graduate of Oregon City High School and was born in Newberg, 31 Dec 1965. Survivors include two brothers, Fred, Oregon City and Eric Brooks, serving with the U.S. Army: sisters, Christine Roberts, Mary Nicholson and Barbara Blakely, all of Oregon City, and Jean Brown, Portland. Services will be at Oregon City Church of Christ, pending arrival of the body, Hillside Chapel in charge. A military funeral is planned.
Good guy Died up on the DMZ on Payable mountain. We were together in Da Nang on hill 21. We were on an assault ship in Iwo Jima. I have pictures if anyone is interested. ******************************************************************** Ground Casualty PFC Charles L. Roberts and PFC Ronnie H. Bintliff were riflemen serving with 2nd Platoon, I Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines. On November 9, 1966 at approximately 1845 hours the marines were in fighting holes trying to observe where three rounds of small arms fire had just come from when an unknown explosion occurred on the parapet of their fighting holes. One was killed immediately and the other died an hour later. After an investigation, it was determined that the explosion was the accidental discharge of an M26 grenade.