Private First Class Hardgrave was a member of the 121st Transportation Truck Company, U.S. Army. He was injured at Munsan-ni, South Korea, and evacuated to the 45th Mobile Army Surgical Unit where he died on 28 June 1953.

Hardgrave was awarded 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.