ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — The Army honored the families of Pvt. Robert D. Booker and Staff Sgt. Stevon A. Booker — the two heroic Soldiers the new M10 Booker Combat Vehicle is named after — during a dedication ceremony at Aberdeen Proving Ground on April 18, 2024.
This historic event marked the first vehicle named in honor of fallen Soldiers since 2002. Adding to its uniqueness, two heroes and their families with the same surname are honored, brought together in time by self-sacrifice.
The ceremony recognized the families of enlisted Army Soldiers who served the nation selflessly during times of great conflict — Medal of Honor recipient Pvt. Robert D. Booker, who perished in World War II; and Distinguished Service Cross recipient Staff Sgt. Stevon A. Booker, who died from injuries sustained in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Both Booker families came together from across the country to meet for the first time this week, joining Army leadership and former and current Soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division and the 34th Infantry Division — units in which both Soldiers served.
Pvt. Booker’s sister, Rosella Booker-Hirsch of Nebraska, and multiple nieces and nephews were in attendance from Nebraska, Colorado and Washington.
Staff Sgt. Booker’s mother, Freddie Jackson of Pennsylvania, was joined by his sister, Kimberly Talley-Armstead, and several family members and friends.
Pvt. Booker and Staff Sgt. Booker’s families jointly christened the first production M10 Booker at the end of the ceremony.
The first M10 Booker vehicle delivered, named "Another Episode," honors Staff. Sgt. Booker as his tank carried this name steeped in personal resonance, signifying his return to the Middle East for a second deployment after first participating in Operation Desert Storm.
Private Robert D. Booker
Pvt. Booker was born July 11, 1920, to Dean and Mattie Booker. He was the third of seven children. His sister Rosella Booker Hirsch was 12 years younger.
On June 9, 1942, he joined the U.S. Army at Fort Crook, Nebraska. After basic training, he supported the Allied North African Campaign in Tunisia with the 34th Infantry Division.
On April 9, 1943, despite hostile enemy fire, Pvt. Booker crossed nearly 200 yards of open field near Fondouk, Tunisia, carrying a machine gun and a box of ammunition. Once he reached his intended location, Pvt. Booker set up his machine gun and began firing on enemy targets. After being shot and injured, he continued firing his weapon and eventually destroyed an enemy machine gun. As he turned to fire on a second enemy machine gun, Pvt. Booker was shot again, this time fatally. Before he died, however, Pvt. Booker remained restrained and unfazed as he continued to encourage his squad and help direct their fire.
Pvt. Booker acted without regard for his own safety. His initiative and courage continue to remain an example of the highest standard of self-sacrifice and fidelity to duty. He was first awarded the Distinguish Service Cross on January 26, 1944. Later his award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor and awarded to his widow on April 29, 1944. According to his company commander at the time, Army Capt. Amos B. Churchill, “his actions were so outstandingly heroic that they will long live in our memory.”
In December of 1948, Pvt. Booker was laid to rest in Rose Hill Cemetery, Calloway County, Nebraska. The American Legion Post 59 in Callaway and a National Guard Armory in Omaha are named for him. His older brother, Pvt. 1st Class Glenn Booker also served during World War II and was killed in action at Saipan on June 25, 1944, just two months after Robert was awarded his Medal of Honor.
Staff Sergeant Stevon A. Booker
Born in Detroit, Stevon Booker and his family moved to the mining town of Redtown, Pennsylvania and later to Apollo, Pennsylvania.
Staff Sgt. Booker enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1987 and served in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Staff Sgt. Booker served with the 3rd Infantry Division.
On December 21, 2002, Booker said in an interview with the Associated Press near the Kuwait-Iraq border, “I teach my guys what I learned from the first Gulf War. One guy doesn’t win a war. You have to have confidence in your equipment. The M1A1 is the best tank on the battlefield. It can destroy anything the Iraqis throw at us.”
Now famously known as Thunder Run, Staff Sgt. Booker’s unit led an offensive armored attack into Baghdad, Iraq on April 5, 2003, which resulted in the collapse of the Saddam Hussein regime. During the raid, Staff Sgt. Booker’s platoon came under heavy small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire.
Staff Sgt. Booker immediately reacted, communicated the situation to his chain-of-command, returned fire with his mounted machinegun and reassured his crew that they would make it to their objective. When his machine gun malfunctioned, Staff Sgt. Booker disregarded his personal safety and took up an exposed prone position on the top of his tank. While still engaged by heavy enemy fire, he maintained communication with his platoon, accurately destroyed an enemy vehicle and effectively protected his platoon’s flank. Staff Sgt. Booker continued to engage the enemy and protect his platoon while exposed for nearly five miles until he was fatally wounded. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic efforts in combat.
Over the course of 16 years, Staff Sgt. Booker served in Kansas, Texas, Germany, Bosnia, Kuwait, Korea, Georgia,and Iraq. Here, at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, The Stevon A. Booker Memorial Building was named for him on May 18, 2007. At Fort Stewart, Georgia, a range is named after him.
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