Boatswain's Mate Second Class Cleveland served aboard the destroyer USS Hyman (DD-732) in Korean waters. He was Killed in Action while engaged with the enemy in Korea on 29 November 1951. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Cleveland was awarded 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.