Private Cary was a member of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. On 2 January 1953, he was burned to death when his tent caught on fire as he slept near Sangdong, South Korea.

Cary 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.