Lester Allen Rogers was born in 1936 in Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated from East High School in 1954 and attended Officer Candidate School, becoming a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. In December 1965, he was assigned to Vietnam, where he served with Advisory Team 39. On February 28, 1966, after less than three months in Vietnam, 1st Lieutenant Rogers was killed in action in Ninh Thuan Province at age 29 while bravely defending wounded soldiers from enemy fire. He was awarded the Silver Star posthumously for his heroic actions.