Major Chesnut was a member of Headquarters Company, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was taken Prisoner of War while fighting the enemy in Korea on 30 November 1950 and died while a prisoner on 15 July 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, Major Chesnut was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, the Army Commendation Ribbon, 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 and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.