Corporal Reed was a member of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 18 August 1950 and returned to duty on 29 September 1950. He was listed as Missing in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 28 November 1950. He was presumed dead on 31 December 1953. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Reed was awarded the Purple Heart with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, 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.