Sergeant Despain was a member of the 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy on 1 September 1951 and returned to duty on 5 November 1951. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 26 November 1951.

Despain was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, 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.