Sergeant White was a member of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 11 March 1951 and returned to duty on 27 March 1951. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 20 April 1951.

White was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman's 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.