Corporal Ellen was a member of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in North Korea on 5 October 1951 and died of those wounds later that day.

Ellen 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.