Master Sergeant Green was a veteran of World War II, serving in North Africa and Italy. In Korea, he was a member of Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 19 September 1950 and returned to duty on 22 September 1950. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 28 November 1950 and died while a prisoner on 18 February 1951. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

For his leadership and valor, Master Sergeant Green was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, the North Arfrica-Middle East Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany).