Major McNeeley was a member of Headquarters, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade. He was seriously wounded defending his position at the Pusan Perimeter in South Korea and died of those wounds on 16 August 1950.

McNeeley was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, 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.