Sergeant First Class Blake was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 13 February 1953.

Blake 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.