Graduate, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 1951.

First Lieutenant Riley was a member of the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 8 February 1953 and died of those wounds the following day.

Riley was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman 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.