Private First Class Obanion was a member of Company H, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was seriously wounded by flying fragments at Observation Post #2 near Chang-dan, Korea on 7 October 1952, evacuated to the hospital ship USS Repose (AH-!6) and died of those wounds on 9 October 1952.

Obanion was awarded 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.