A native of Mankato, Minnesota, he received his commission and pilot wings through the aviation cadet program in February 1944. His first assignment was as an instructor pilot at Luke Field, Arizona.[1]
In 1954, he received his first of three assignments to Headquarters Air Training Command. His assignment was as an operations staff officer. In 1957, he commanded the 3529th Combat Crew Training Squadron at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, and in November of that year returned to Headquarters Air Training Command again as an operations staff officer.[1]
Following graduation from the National War College in 1965, he was assigned to the Pentagon, where he was first the assistant chief of the Special Warfare Division, Directorate of Plans and Operations, Headquarters United States Air Force; and in October 1966 chief, Systems Division, Defense Communications Planning Group, at the Naval Observatory.[1]
In August 1970, General Roberts returned to Washington D.C., where he served in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel, as deputy director of personnel planning, and later director, personnel plans. He became the deputy chief of staff, personnel, in October 1973. For his contributions to Air Force personnel resource programs management, he was awarded the 1975 Eugene M. Zuckert Management Award.[1]
He became the commander of the Air Training Command in August 1975.[2] He was promoted to the rank of general on March 29, 1977, with the same date of rank.
He retired two years and two days later on March 31, 1977.[1] Reflecting on his career, he said about his failures, "I crashed two aircraft when I was a captain, a B-25 and later an F-86. Both were pilot error. I cracked up the F-86 in the woods in Michigan where the only thing left after the crash were the engine and me."[3]
