Corporal Blakeney was a member of the 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 20 June 1952 and returned to duty on 25 June 1952. He died of other causes in Korea on 18 March 1953.

Blakeney was awarded the Purple Heart, 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.