2019 Honorees

Bob Roberts – United States Marine Corps

Bob Roberts enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in December of 1965 and began Boot Camp in Parris Island, SC on January 26, 1966. By April of 1966 he had completed Infantry Training at Camp Lejeune, NC. After completing Infantry Training, Bob began Radio Operator School in San Diego, CA and then Vietnamese Language School at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA.

Once his training was complete in March of 1967, Bob was stationed at 3rd Marine Division, Communications Section of Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) on Phu Bai Combat Base in South Vietnam, where he trained as a Forward Observer. In November of 1967 Bob moved north with the 3rd Marine Division into the Demilitarized Zone at Dong Ha Combat Base. There, he helped conduct Artillery, Fixed Wing, Helicopter, Naval Gunfire, and B-52 air strikes against enemy North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong targets throughout I Corps. Bob is proud that there were no Friendly Forces harmed in these missions.

In April of 1968, Bob was rotated home to the United States and received a “rough welcome” in San Francisco, CA. He then flew home to New York to be with his family. Bob was then stationed in Quantico, VA – Marine Corps Schools Battalion as an enlisted Instructor to Officer Candidates that were preparing to serve in South Vietnam. He was promoted to Sergeant in January, 1969.

Bob was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal (with combat “V”), the Presidential Unit Citation, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Vietnamese Service Medal (with four stars), the Vietnamese Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Rifle Marksman Badge.

After being Honorably Discharged in January of 1970, Bob was promoted to Staff Sergeant while in the USMC Reserves.

Anthony Lassiter – United States Army

Anthony Lassiter was born in February 1947 in Beacon, New York. He attended his local high school, where he was the quarterback for his football team, and a member of the varsity wrestling and baseball team, playing 2nd and 3rd base. He graduated high school in 1966. Upon his graduation from Basic Combat Training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Private Lassiter was stationed at the Presidio in San Francisco, California. There he was assigned to the “burial detail firing squad” unit where he performed the 21-gun salute at the funerals of fallen heroes brought back from the battlefields of Vietnam. In 1969, Specialist E4 Lassiter received his next set of orders and was given a 30-day leave to visit his family. After that he reported to Fort Lewis, Washington.  He was then sent to the Republic of South Vietnam, where the terrible fighting there had already taken the lives of many brave heroes. After arriving at the Vinh Long Airfield in Vietnam, Specialist Lassiter was assigned to Bravo Company, 36th Engineering Brigade. His primary responsibilities included building helicopter landing pads for Cobra gunships. He was honorably discharged from the Army in November 1969. In January 1970 he went to work at IBM in East Fishkill, New York and after several years he became a manager. One of his favorite assignments was recruiting college students to work for IBM. He worked at IBM for the next 30 years. Anthony and his wife have two sons, Justin and Aaron. He has five grandchildren. Mr. Lassiter is now retired. He serves his church and the community in volunteer activities.