Corporal Alexander was a member of Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division. During "Operation Ripper", he was seriously wounded while fighting the enemy near Hoengsong, South Korea on 3 March 1951 and died of those wounds on 23 April 1951.

Alexander 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.