Charles Calvin Rogers, Major General, United States Army
Medal of Honor recipient Charles Calvin Rogers (September 6, 1929- September 21, 1990) was born at Claremont, Fayette County. Rogers’s father, a coal miner and a World War I veteran, instilled in his son a love for his country and the military. In 1951, Rogers graduated from West Virginia State College (now university) and was commissioned through the school’s ROTC program as a second lieutenant. He went on to serve in combat during the Vietnam War.
Rogers earned the Medal of Honor for actions that took place near the Cambodian border on November 1, 1968. While manning a fire support base, members of the 1st Battalion, 5th Artillery, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rogers, found themselves in a desperate struggle. Enemy forces launched an attack that penetrated the base perimeter. Wounded three times over the next two days, Rogers directed artillery fire and led counterattacks until the enemy force was repelled. President Richard Nixon awarded the Medal of Honor to Rogers in a ceremony at the White House on May 14, 1970. He was the highest ranking African-American to receive the medal.
Rogers remained in the military and retired as a major general in 1984. Ordained a Baptist minister, he spent his final years ministering to American soldiers in Germany. His remains were interred at Arlington National Cemetery. In 1999, a bridge in Fayette County was renamed the Charles C. Rogers Bridge.
Medal of Honor Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Lt. Col. Rogers, Field Artillery, distinguished himself in action while serving as commanding officer, 1st Battalion, during the defense of a forward fire support base. In the early morning hours, the fire support base was subjected to a concentrated bombardment of heavy mortar, rocket and rocket propelled grenade fire. Simultaneously the position was struck by a human wave ground assault, led by sappers who breached the defensive barriers with bangalore torpedoes and penetrated the defensive perimeter. Lt. Col. Rogers with complete disregard for his safety moved through the hail of fragments from bursting enemy rounds to the embattled area. He aggressively rallied the dazed artillery crewmen to man their howitzers and he directed their fire on the assaulting enemy. Although knocked to the ground and wounded by an exploding round, Lt. Col. Rogers sprang to his feet and led a small counterattack force against an enemy element that had penetrated the howitzer positions. Although painfully wounded a second time during the assault, Lt. Col. Rogers pressed the attack, killing several of the enemy and driving the remainder from the positions. Refusing medical treatment, Lt. Col. Rogers reestablished and reinforced the defensive positions. As a second human wave attack was launched against another sector of the perimeter, Lt. Col. Rogers directed artillery fire on the assaulting enemy and led a second counterattack against the charging forces. His valorous example rallied the beleaguered defenders to repulse and defeat the enemy onslaught. Lt. Col. Rogers moved from position to position through the heavy enemy fire, giving encouragement and direction to his men. At dawn the determined enemy launched a third assault against the fire base in an attempt to overrun the position. Lt. Col. Rogers moved to the threatened area and directed lethal fire on the enemy forces. Seeing a howitzer inoperative due to casualties, Lt. Col. Rogers joined the surviving members of the crew to return the howitzer to action. While directing the position defense, Lt. Col. Rogers was seriously wounded by fragments from a heavy mortar round which exploded on the parapet of the gun position. Although too severely wounded to physically lead the defenders, Lt. Col. Rogers continued to give encouragement and direction to his men in defeating and repelling the enemy attack. Lt. Col. Rogers' dauntless courage and heroism inspired the defenders of the fire support base to the heights of valor to defeat a determined and numerically superior enemy force. His relentless spirit of aggressiveness in action are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.