Sergeant Chataignier was a member of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 25 July 1950 and returned to duty on 21 September 1950. He was seriously wounded again on 21 February 1951 and died of those wounds later that day.

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