Corporal Piper was a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. On 7 October 1951, while expanding the unit's perimeter of defense near Tut-a-yon, North Korea, an officer stepped on a land mine and was severely wounded. Corporal Piper proceeded through the mine field to rescue his fallen leader, but was killed as he stepped on another mine.

For his leadership and valor, Corporal Piper was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.