Sergeant Carey was a member of Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was walking along Route 3 a half mile north of Quartermaster Center Number 4, when he was struck by a passing truck. He was evacuated to the 44th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) and died on 9 June 1953.

Carey was awarded 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.