Col. Mike Roberts, Fort Sill Dental Activity commander, works and lives on opposite sides of Roberts Avenue here, so close he could throw a baseball and hit his house from where he works.
Most often he crosses in the middle of the block and didn't realize the street name right away.
The street is Roberts Avenue, a route about 800 feet in length north and east of Randolph Road. It is named in honor of Col. Thomas A. Roberts, Jr., a field artillery commander who was killed Aug. 4, 1944, supporting the 2nd Armored Division in the Normandy invasion.
Thomas Roberts attended West Point where he engaged in boxing, football, swimming, and rifle and pistol marksmanship. He lettered in swimming and marksmanship, which led to receiving the Distinguished Pistol Shot Medal.
He carried his love for sports throughout his service and was as much at home on a polo pony as on the football field or hunting.
Roberts was said to "ooze personality and leadership." Those traits along with a solid academic record earned him the first captain of the Corps of Cadets when he graduated.
He attended the Advanced Field Artillery Course at Fort Sill, where he was retained as a gunnery instructor. Later, he attended the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where he also returned as an instructor while serving as aide-de-camp to the commandant.
Roberts took command of the 2nd Armored Division artillery Aug. 6, 1942. He held that command throughout the campaigns of North Africa, Sicily and Normandy until his death.
He was awarded the Silver and Bronze stars for his leadership in combat.
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