Sergeant Hembree was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near Hansan Dong, South Korea, on 19 September 1950.

Hembree was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.