Private First Class Westry was a member of the 461st Infantry Battalion, Heavy Mortars, U.S. Army. He was wounded while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 19 March 1953. He was evacuated to the United States where he died on 14 April 1953.

Westry was awarded 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.