Private First Class Figel was a member of Headquarters Company, 303rd Construction Reconnaissance Battalion, U.S. Army. He contracted hemorrhagic fever and was evacuated to the 48th Surgical Hospital near Seoul, South Korea, where he died on 23 October 1953.

Figel 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.