Private First Class Alva was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 12 October 1951 and died of those wounds on 15 October 1951.

Alva 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.