Master Sergeant West was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of Headquarters Battery, 82nd Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. On 2 June 1951 while crossing the Soyang River near Nam Myon, South Korea, he was swept away by the strong current and drowned.

West was awarded 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 and the World War II Victory Medal.