Private Hale was a member of the 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 2 September 1951 and returned to duty on 20 September 1951. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 9 October 1951.

Hale was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, 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.