Sergeant Harrell was the radar operator of a Douglas F3D-2 Skynight fighter with the Marine Night Fighter Squadron 513, Marine Air Group 12, 1st Marine Air Wing. On 30 May 1953, while returning from escorting B-29's on a night mission near the mouth of the Yalu River, North Korea, contact with the aircraft was lost after requesting landing instructions from airfield K-8. He was listed as Missing in Action and was presumed dead on 1 June 1954. His remains were recovered on 30 July 2001 and identified on 8 January 2002. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

Harrell was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Gold Stars, the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, 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.