VETERANS’ STORIES

FEATURED VETERAN

David L. Roeser: Service Across Sea, Sky, and Shore

David Roeser was born in Canton, Ohio, and joined the U.S. Army in September 1967 at the age of 18. He completed Basic Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and continued to Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia, for advanced training in teletype communication and cryptographic machinery as part of the Signal Corps.

In April 1968, he deployed to Vietnam, where he was assigned to the communication section of a helicopter battalion near Hue. Over the course of more than two years in Vietnam (two years, two months, and nine days), he served in multiple roles—including radio operator, helicopter door gunner, generator operator, and Military Police (MP) during his final six months. His assignments took him across several key regions, including operations supporting the Marines near the DMZ and transport missions into the A Shau Valley.

David was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions while on guard duty during a nighttime perimeter breach, as well as two Army Commendation Medals, the Good Conduct Medal, and several campaign medals.

After completing his Army service in June 1970, David briefly joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1977. He served aboard the USCGC Sledge, an inland construction tender responsible for maintaining navigational aids in the Chesapeake Bay. Though initially intending to make a career of it, he was honorably released after a year due to service-wide cutbacks.

Following his military career, David worked for decades in the insurance industry as a fraud and accident investigator. He later settled in Fernandina Beach, Florida, where he remains an active member of the community—and still fits in his Army uniform!

We are honored to feature Sergeant David Roeser and thank him for his dedicated service to our country.