Private First Class McFarland was a member of the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 28 June 1951 and returned to duty on 1 July 1951. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea on 25 October 1951.

McFarland 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.