Owasso guard member killed in Iraq returns Wednesday

TULSA — The remains of an Oklahoma Air National Guard sergeant killed in a rocket attack earlier this month will return to Tulsa Wednesday for burial.

Technical Sergeant Marshal Roberts, 28, was assigned to the 138th Tactical Fighter Wing, based in Tulsa.

Roberts, from Owasso, died when multiple rockets slammed into a U.S. base known as Camp Taji in Iraq on March 11th.

The Pentagon believes Iranian-backed Shiite militias likely carried out the attack.

The ANG says Roberts was helping building communications infrastructure as part of the fight against ISIS.

Because of the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the public is discouraged from gathering along the funeral route as they normally would.

Jane Horton, a Gold Star wife who now serves in the Pentagon as a liaison to other fallen heroes' families, tells KRMG she'd like people to do what they can online to honor Roberts' sacrifice.

She's asking the public to use a special hashtag: #tsgtmarshalroberts.

“Hashtag his name and either send a video to the family, create a poster, or  send some kind of message - whatever you want to do to show your support,” Horton said Tuesday.

She says parents could also spend some time with their kids studying Roberts' story, and the stories of other Oklahomans who have sacrificed their lives in service to the country.

TSgt. Roberts' coffin is scheduled to arrive at the ANG base in north Tulsa at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday.

A funeral procession will then continue Floral Haven Cemetery in Broken Arrow.